A Connecticut woman received a 12-year prison sentence on Tuesday for firing a gun multiple times inside a police department lobby. Suzanne Laprise entered the Bristol police department in October 2023, visibly upset and intoxicated, carrying a 9 mm pistol. She discharged three shots at the front desk windows and two more at an interior door, behind which officers were positioned while attempting to communicate with her. An officer retaliated with two shots fired from behind the door, but the bulletproof glass prevented any injuries. After Laprise dropped her weapon, officers subdued her with a Taser and took her into custody.
Laprise, a resident of Plainville, briefly appeared in New Britain Superior Court where she was sentenced following a guilty plea to attempted first-degree assault in February. She had initially been charged with attempted murder and other offenses. Neither Laprise nor any police officers addressed the court during the sentencing.
According to Laprise’s public defender, Christopher Eddy, she was a 53-year-old with no criminal record who was facing significant stressors in her life, including financial strain, mental health issues, and caring for a disabled child. Eddy stated that Laprise had intended to harm herself that night, and commended the professionalism of the Bristol police in handling the situation.
The incident occurred one year after two Bristol police officers were fatally shot while responding to a call. State Inspector General Robert Devlin Jr. investigated Laprise’s case and found that the officer who fired at her had acted justifiably. Laprise had used a firearm belonging to her then-boyfriend, a retired New York City police officer.
