RUSSELL — A Canton man, on the lam after skipping his July sentencing date for shooting a woman in the neck in 2022, was shot and killed by state police Thursday, Aug. 10.

Shawn Sheridan, 8 Mechanic St., Canton, was killed after opening fire on a State Trooper and his K9 partner who were searching for him in a wooded area along Donnerville Road around 12:50 p.m., law enforcement officials said.

Sheridan was pronounced deceased at the scene.

St. Lawrence County County Sheriff Brooks Bigwarfe said multiple agencies had been working to apprehend Sheridan after he skipped his July 18 sentencing.

St. Lawrence County District Attorney Gary Pasqua said Sheridan had been held on bail but that it was paid which allowed him to be released.

“The judge had to give the release in the least restricted method due to bail reform. He did put a high bail on this but it was met. When you are not allowed to consider the dangerousness of a defendant in regard to whether or not they remain jailed you end up letting dangerous people out. When you let dangerous people out on bail they do dangerous things,” he said.

Pasqua said that while no human officers were injured, the situation would likely have been avoided completely if it had occurred prior to bail reform changes.

“We’re always thankful during any operation when the law enforcement officers and the individuals that we are helping come out safe and unharmed,” he said.

Pasqua noted in an early interview that they had hoped Sheridan could be brought in peacefully but acknowledged that he was a threat to law enforcement.

Sheridan was facing 12.5 years in prison.

Responding to the incident were state police, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputies, Canton Police, the District Attorney’s Office and the St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force.

When asked if Sheridan was aided in his hiding, Sheriff Bigwarfe said he could not comment because it was still being investigated.

Officials said because Sheridan was killed in an officer involved shooting, the state Attorney General’s office would also be investigating the incident.

The crime

On the morning of March 9, 2022, at approximately 1:42 a.m., St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a reported domestic incident at 49 South Woods Road in Rossie.

Upon their arrival, it was determined that a victim had been shot in the neck during the reported domestic incident.

The victim sustained serious injuries and was transported by Medivac to Upstate Hospital in Syracuse for treatment

Over the initial course of this incident, Deputy Sheriff Matthew Merria arrested Sheridan, who was armed with a long gun and a knife, by himself, reports the sheriff’s office.

Deputy Merria also had an intern riding with him at the time of this call, and they were both able to render aid to the female victim until rescue could respond to the scene.