An off-duty Massachusetts police officer, Kelsey Fitzsimmons, was critically injured in a shooting during an armed confrontation at her residence on Monday evening. The incident unfolded as fellow officers from the Andover Police Department were attempting to serve Fitzsimmons with a restraining order, stemming from alarming allegations concerning the safety of her infant son and her fiancé.
The confrontation took place at Fitzsimmons' home and resulted in her being shot once in the chest. She was airlifted to a Boston hospital, where she has been reported to be in stable condition as of Thursday, according to Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker.
The restraining order was filed by Fitzsimmons’ fiancé, a North Andover firefighter, who expressed grave concerns for their 4-month-old son's safety in court documents. The fiancé's affidavit, as per the New York Post, included harrowing statements such as, “I fear she will kill the baby at any moment,” and detailed Fitzsimmons' threats to disappear with the child indefinitely. These threats echoed her past suicidal ideations, he claimed.
Fitzsimmons, 28, had exhibited suicidal and violent behavior both during and after her pregnancy, according to the affidavit. Her fiancé recounted an incident where Fitzsimmons, while pregnant, punched herself in the stomach and threatened to kill herself and the unborn baby. Another incident on June 28 involved Fitzsimmons punching her fiancé and chasing him and their child after he sought refuge at a friend’s house. This event led to the involvement of four separate police departments, ultimately ending with Fitzsimmons’ parents taking custody of the child.
The officer, who had been on the force for less than two years, was involuntarily committed to Lowell General Hospital for a brief period due to postpartum depression. Upon discharge, she surrendered her department-issued and personal firearms and was placed on administrative leave. Fitzsimmons was actively undergoing therapy and psychiatric care at the time of the incident.
While no charges have been filed in connection to the shooting, the case remains under active investigation. The district attorney's office is evaluating whether the shooting was justified and if charges against Fitzsimmons are warranted. Meanwhile, her fiancé is seeking full legal custody of their son. The events have sparked discussions on mental health support for law enforcement officers and the complexities surrounding domestic violence cases involving police personnel.
