A Springfield man has agreed to serve a stiff prison sentence for the shooting of a Massachusetts State Trooper during a 2020 New Year's Eve gunfight. Christopher Gardner, 33, pleaded guilty to a litany of charges, including assault with intent to murder, connected to the incident that left a trooper with a gunshot wound to the leg, as reported by MassLive.
According to Hampden District Attorney's Office spokesperson Jim Leydon, Gardner's decision to brazenly open fire critically endangered the lives of the officers. Gardner apparently agreed to serve 12 to 15 years behind bars, followed by three years on probation. "This ending of a dangerous altercation, which involved an exchange of gunfire, resulted in serious injury and garnered multiple charges," Leydon disclosed in a statement obtained by WWLP.
The police were called to Nursery Street just before the clock struck twelve, caught in the fray as bullets flew. Gardner's shots shattered the serene illusions of safety as one such bullet winged its way into the leg of a law enforcer. The trooper, whose service came to an abrupt and untimely end due to the injuries, has since retired from the force.
Adding to the weight of his sentence, Gardner also pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm without a license, among other offenses. Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni remarked on the gravity of the attack, underscoring the emotional scars it leaves behind. "I am thankful that the trooper involved has recovered from the physical injuries," Gulluni told WWLP, quickly adding, "while we know one never fully recovers from the emotional trauma sustained from this kind of attack."
