Amanda Williams Obituary, Death – A preliminary report from the Connecticut Office of the Inspector General has provided new details about a fatal trooper-involved shooting that occurred in Bozrah over the weekend, identifying the woman killed as 39-year-old Amanda Williams.
According to the report, the incident unfolded on August 9 at approximately 7:35 p.m., when Connecticut State Police responded to a home on Gifford Lane following a call to dispatch about a domestic disturbance. Dispatchers relayed that two people were physically fighting, and that Williams was allegedly pointing a firearm at a man inside the residence.
Uniformed officers on the scene included Trooper Brett Cook, Trooper Noah Blanchette, and Sergeant Zachary Cash. Upon arrival, the troopers maintained cover as they approached the home and observed Williams holding an object that appeared to be a gun. The officers issued multiple commands instructing her to drop the weapon, but Williams did not comply.
In an effort to subdue her without lethal force, Sgt. Cash deployed one or more pepper ball rounds. The non-lethal munitions appeared to have no effect, as Williams continued to hold the weapon. The situation quickly escalated when Trooper Cook fired a single round from his service handgun, while Trooper Blanchette fired two rounds from his department-issued Colt M4 rifle. Williams was struck by one or more bullets and collapsed to the ground.
The report states that officers recovered a .380 Ruger handgun from Williams’ hand at the spot where she fell. Troopers immediately began rendering medical aid until emergency medical services arrived. Despite their efforts, EMS personnel pronounced Williams dead at the scene.
An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Williams died from a gunshot wound to the neck, which also caused a spinal cord injury. Her manner of death was ruled a homicide. Toxicology results are still pending as part of the ongoing investigation.
The inspector general’s office emphasized that body camera footage from the responding troopers will be released, in accordance with state requirements for transparency in incidents involving the use of deadly force. Officials have not yet made a determination on whether the shooting was justified under the circumstances, and the case remains under review.
This incident has drawn attention to the rapid escalation of domestic disturbance calls and the split-second decisions officers are often required to make when confronted with perceived threats involving firearms. The inspector general’s ongoing investigation will examine all available evidence, including witness statements, body camera recordings, forensic findings, and the recovered firearm, to establish a clear sequence of events and determine whether the troopers’ actions adhered to state law and departmental policies.
For now, the case remains active, with authorities seeking to balance public transparency with the need for a thorough, evidence-based review of the circumstances that led to Amanda Williams’ death.
