By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A Massachusetts law enforcement officer found not guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with a 2025 shooting involving an off-duty colleague.
• The verdict was returned Thursday in Essex Superior Court in Lawrence, Mass.
• The case stemmed from a June 2025 incident in North Andover in which Officer Patrick Noonan shot Kelsey Fitzsimmons.
• Prosecutors alleged Fitzsimmons fired a handgun at Noonan before he fired back; the defense said Noonan acted in self-defense.
• The decision ends the criminal case but civil and administrative reviews may continue.
LAWRENCE, MA — A Massachusetts law enforcement officer was found not guilty Thursday on an assault with a dangerous weapon charge related to a June 2025 shooting involving an off-duty colleague, officials said.
An Essex Superior Court jury in Lawrence acquitted North Andover Police Officer Patrick Noonan after a trial that turned on whether his actions were justified when he shot former colleague Kelsey Fitzsimmons at her home.
Prosecutors had argued Fitzsimmons posed no imminent threat when she was shot, while the defense maintained Noonan acted in self-defense after Fitzsimmons allegedly fired a handgun at him and other officers serving a restraining order.
Fitzsimmons was struck in the encounter and later charged with assault with a dangerous weapon; her charges remain pending, and she was expected to appear in court following the verdict.
The acquittal resolves the criminal allegation against Noonan; the status of any internal department review or potential civil litigation stemming from the incident was not immediately disclosed.