A man was found dead inside a burning home in Milton, Vermont, Wednesday night after a standoff in which a local police sergeant was shot and wounded, officials said Thursday.
The man found dead inside the home on Main Street was identified as Aaron LaRoche, a 38-year-old who lived at the home. He's believed to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after earlier shooting the officer, Vermont State Police said.
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WATCH HEREThe officer was identified as Sgt. Paul Locke, a 26-year veteran of the Milton Police Department. He was hit in the leg and a bullet-resistant vest he was wearing as he arrived at the scene along with firefighters, police said.
Locke is recovering after being discharged from the hospital.
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SIGN UP Police didn't say why they suspected the home was on fire or why LaRoche shot at first responders.
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LaRoche's body was discovered following an hourslong standoff. A drone sent inside the apartment revealed that he was apparently deceased, which officers with the SWAT team confirmed.
Through an autopsy, LaRoche's death was found to have been a suicide, by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said late Friday.
Milton is a town of about 10,000 north of Burlington
