Fugitive Shawn Sheridan dead, police K9 injured in shootout

TOWN OF RUSSELL, New York (WWNY) - A fugitive is dead and a police K9 is injured following a shooting on Donnerville Road in the St. Lawrence County town of Russell.

State police said a trooper and members of the county sheriff’s office were searching for the fugitive in a wooded area along Donnerville Road at around 12:50 p.m. when the trooper and his K9 partner were fired upon.

A trooper returned fire. The suspect, 34-year-old Shawn Sheridan of Canton, was pronounced dead at the scene. Another person was with Sheridan at the time but was not injured in the firefight.

State police said Sheridan was heavily armed.

“Through investigative efforts were able to track Mr. Sheridan,” St. Lawrence County District Attorney Gary Pasqua said. “They came upon him in a wooded area and Mr. Sheridan, as the state police indicated, opened fire on the officers and they returned fire. Mr. Sheridan was killed during that altercation.”

Pasqua said law enforcement was able to find Sheridan based on several purchases he made.

Sheriff Brooks Bigwarfe said law enforcement trains for this.

“Everything was done correctly. Thankfully none of the officers got hurt at the scene,” he said.

In May, Sheridan took a plea deal in connection with the shooting of his former fiancée, Katrina Pierce, in the neck. He was supposed to be sentenced in July, but he never showed up and had been on the run for more than two weeks. Despite his absence, he was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years in prison.

The trooper was not injured during the incident. However, the police K9 was struck by the suspect’s gunfire and has been transported to a veterinary hospital for treatment. The K9 is expected to be fine, Pasqua said.

Because this was an officer-involved shooting, the state Attorney General’s Office is reviewing the case. It may decide to keep the investigation or kick it back to Pasqua’s office.

Pasqua said until the Attorney General’s Office makes a determination, he can’t say more about the case.

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