Massachusetts Police Officer on Trial for Allegedly Threatening Colleagues with Gun
A former Massachusetts police officer is currently on trial, accused of pointing her service weapon at fellow officers during a chaotic incident in June 2025. Prosecutors allege that Kelsey Fitzsimmons, 29, intended to shoot her colleagues after being served with a restraining order by her fiancé, while her defense claims it was a tragic suicide attempt.
Details of the Incident
The episode unfolded when Fitzsimmons' then-fiancé, Justin Aylaian, a local firefighter, filed a restraining order against her. He arrived at her home accompanied by North Andover police officers Pat Noonan and Timothy Houston to serve the document. Aylaian alleged that Fitzsimmons was mentally ill and had threatened him and their four-month-old son, for whom he sought sole custody.
According to prosecutors, Fitzsimmons became distressed and allegedly pulled out her service weapon, pointing it at the officers and pulling the trigger. Officer Noonan responded by shooting her in self-defense, resulting in a collapsed lung that hospitalized her for several weeks. Prosecutor James Gubitose stated in opening statements that the weapon had a full magazine but did not fire because its chamber was empty.
Conflicting Accounts in Court
Fitzsimmons denies attempting to shoot the officers, asserting that she intended to kill herself out of fear of losing custody of her son. Her attorney, Timothy Bradl, argued that the incident was a suicide attempt, noting that officers were heard yelling "Kelsey, no," which he claimed is typical when someone has a gun to their own head, not when pointed at others.
Bradl described Fitzsimmons as a panicking mother who tried to get the officers to leave so she could end her life alone. He alleged that she lied about the location of her guns, telling officers they were in the basement to avoid involving them, and that Officer Noonan adjusted his narrative post-shooting to protect himself.
Prosecutors countered, alleging that Fitzsimmons lied about the gun's location, abruptly grabbed it in her bedroom, and pointed it at the officers. They claimed Noonan's SWAT training prevented a deadly outcome, as he shot her after she attempted to rerack the gun. The lack of body camera footage complicates the case, as Massachusetts has no state law requiring police to wear them.
Trial Proceedings and Evidence
The first witness, North Andover Police Lt. Sean Daley, testified that he waited outside and heard Noonan say, "Don't do it Kelsey," before gunshots ensued. He found Fitzsimmons wounded on the ground, where she reportedly said, "I'm sorry, I want to die." Prosecutors presented footage showing Aylaian entering the basement before gunshots were heard and first responders carrying Fitzsimmons out on a stretcher.
Fitzsimmons, who was a police officer for just over a year before the incident and was subsequently fired, opted for a bench trial. A judge will decide her fate based on evidence presented over the week, with the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon hanging in the balance.
