LAWRENCE, Mass. (Court TV) — A former North Andover police officer was cleared of charges she tried to shoot a fellow officer in her home.
Kelsey Fitzsimmons smiles during a pretrial hearing on March 12, 2026. (Court TV)
Kelsey Fitzsimmons, 29, faced a single count of assault with a dangerous weapon and had pleaded not guilty. Following a three-day bench trial, Fitzsimmons was acquitted.
The alleged victim, who is also a North Andover police officer, was in Fitzsimmons’ home serving a restraining order when the alleged incident occurred.
MORE | Kelsey Fitzsimmons returns to court fighting for custody of child
Fitzsimmons, who had recently given birth, was served the restraining order from her ex-fiancé and allegedly began to pull her gun. While prosecutors had accused her of intending to shoot her fellow officer, Fitzsimmons’ defense maintained that she was suffering from postpartum depression and intended to use the gun to shoot herself. Fitzsimmons was shot in the chest by the other officer and has since recovered from her injuries.
Fitzsimmons spent more than 100 days in jail before her trial began.
With days to go before her trial was scheduled to begin, Fitzsimmons waived her right to a jury trial, opting instead for a bench trial. That meant that Judge Jeffrey Karp had the sole power to decide the case after hearing the evidence.
DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS
DAY 4 – 3/26/26
- LIVESTREAM: MA v. Kelsey Fitzsimmons – Day 4 | Cop-on-Cop Shooting Trial
- Mark Bradl delivered closing arguments.
- June 30 was the worst day of Fitzsimmons’ life: she was losing her baby, job and her house.
- Fitzsimmons was never going to harm Noonan.
- WATCH: Defense Says Ex-Cop Was in Emotional Crisis During Shooting
- In their closing, prosecutors said that Fitzsimmons’ own testimony proved she was guilty.
- Accused Fitzsimmons of lying to the judge and lying at the scene about where the guns were.
- WATCH: Ex-Cop Denies Shooting, State Calls Her a Liar
- Judge Jeffrey Karp delivered his verdict, finding Fitzsimmons not guilty.
DAY 3 – 3/25/26
- LIVESTREAM: MA v. Kelsey Fitzsimmons – Day 3 | Cop-on-Cop Shooting Trial
- Sgt. David Strong, Massachusetts State Police
- Called to the scene on June 30 and was briefed about what was going on.
- Went over photographs taken that day.
- Talked about the firearms photographed and what happened to them.
- Commonwealth rested its case-in-chief.
- Maureen Torrisi, Patrick Noonan’s neighbor
- Talked with Noonan about the dogs and small talk, asked him about what’s going on at the police station in Aug. 2025.
- He told her that he was the shooter and that he had no choice but to to it because the gun was pointed at him.
- Referred to Fitzsimmons as a “whack job.”
- WATCH: Cop-on-Cop Shooting: Neighbor Says Officer Called Ex-Colleague a ‘Whack Job’
- Lauren Page, Defendant’s mother
- Remarried after separating from Fitzsimmons’ father.
- On June 30, Fitzsimmons was going to do some CPR training at work, and was supposed to meet with Aylaian at the north Andover Commons at 2:30.
- Fitzsimmons was upset that Aylaian didn’t come there.
- Left Fitzsimmons’ home three minutes before officers arrived.
- WATCH: Ex-Officer Was Supposed to Meet Fiancé Before Shooting: Mom
- Kelsey Fitzsimmons, Defendant
- Talked about career path that led her to North Andover Police Department.
- Aylaian hadn’t been home for days and wasn’t responding to her, he didn’t meet her at the North Andover Commons like he said he would.
- Met her mother at home; three minutes after her mother left the house, three colleagues from the North Andover Police Department arrived at her door to serve her with a restraining order.
- She was confused about everything and was not given any of the details of the order or any affidavit.
- She was asked to pack a bag for her 4-month-old to be with Aylaian for two weeks.
- She decided to take her life because she was losing everything all at the same time.
- She said she pointed the gun towards herself and pulled the trigger but it was unloaded; Noonan then shot her in the chest.
- Never intended to hurt anyone else and denied pointing the gun at Noonan.
- MORE: ‘I had just lost everything’: Kelsey Fitzsimmons details shooting in her home
- WATCH: Ex-Officer Shot by Colleague: Denies Trying to Harm Amid Losing Everything
- The defense rested its case.
DAY 2 – 3/24/26
- LIVESTREAM: MA v. Kelsey Fitzsimmons – Day 2 | Cop-on-Cop Shooting Trial
- Patrick Noonan returned to the stand
- Admitted he may have called Fitzsimmons a “whack job” after the shooting.
- MORE: Officer concedes he may have called Kelsey Fitzsimmons a ‘whack job’
- Testified that he gave his gun to the chief after the shooting.
- WATCH: Officer Noonan Denies Calling Kelsey Fitzsimmons a ‘Whack Job’
- Officer Steven Corr, North Andover Police Department
- Assisted with serving the restraining order on June 30, 2025.
- Secured the firearm on a shelf and kept it away.
- WATCH: Officer Details Shooting of Former Colleague After Gun Allegedly Drawn
- Dt. Lt. Michael Bonasoro, Massachusetts State Police
- Went over ballistics, photographs of the shooting and the firearm in the case.
- Officer Timothy Houston, North Andover Police Department
- Joined the academy in 2020.
- Was invited to Fitzsimmons’ wedding, met her fiancé at the engagement party.
- Was there to help serve the restraining order on Fitzsimmons with Noonan.
- Fitzsimmons was told about the restraining order and asked about the guns she had.
- Fitzsimmons went to go pack for the baby and called her mother while they were there.
- Her fiancé was there and she said she didn’t want him in the house; he went downstairs to ask Justin to leave and heard gunshots upstairs.
- Michelle Mitchell, Corrections officer
- Coworker and friend of the defendant; met her at the end of 2021 and was supposed to be a bridesmaid in her wedding.
- Talked to Fitzsimmons on June 30 before the incident; Fitzsimmons and the baby were crying, the defendant said she needed Justin.
DAY 1 – 3/23/26
- LIVESTREAM: MA v. Kelsey Fitzsimmons – Day 1 | Cop-on-Cop Shooting Trial
- The prosecution delivered opening statements.
- The defendant raised her gun and pulled the trigger — the officer is alive today because there was no round in the chamber.
- The officer who shot Fitzsimmons had decades of training and experience and protected everyone in the home.
- Fitzsimmons was a police officer with a service weapon and two other guns; she told officers that the guns were in the basement.
- Fitzsimmons’ demeanor changed right before she lunged to her right.
- Another officer fired twice, missing once.
- MORE: Kelsey Fitzsimmons Fired Gun Off at Officer: Commonwealth
- Tim Bradl delivered opening statements for the defense.
- Fitzsimmons’ fiancé obtained a restraining order with untested allegations and took away her child — shattering her entire world.
- Three officers went to serve the order and obtain the child; she was embarrassed in front of her police colleagues and friends.
- Her life was over in her mind, and she decided to end her life with a firearm.
- She raised the gun to her head, other officers were not in the room at the time.
- Other officer had to create a story to save himself.
- WATCH: Cop-to-Cop Shooting Was ‘Mechanical Phase’ to Seeing Gun: Defense
- Sean Daley, North Andover Police Dept.
- Working and met someone in the lobby saying they were going to serve the restraining order on Fitzsimmons.
- He heard an officer say, “Kelsey, don’t do it” and then ran up the stairs and heard gunshots as he was running.
- Fitzsimmons was on the ground, saying “I’m sorry” and “I want to die.”
- After she was taken away, Officer Noonan said that she had pointed a gun at him.
- WATCH: Kelsey Fitzsimmons Said ‘I Want to Die’ After Alleged Cop-on-Cop Shooting: Officer
- Courtney Aylaian, Ex-Fiancé’s sister
- Her brother got engaged to Fitzsimmons in Aug. 2024.
- The weekend for the bachelor party ended earlier and she fled the house. She went to her brother’s friend’s house and met her brother there.
- They went to the courthouse to file for an emergency restraining order and to get custody of his son.
- They went to the North Andover Police Dept. before going to the house to pick up the child. She called her mom once they got the baby, then there were several gunshots. She ran and hid with the child.
- Justin Aylaian, Ex-fiancé
- Joined the US Army in 2014; after he was injured, he was honorably discharged and moved to Mass. He got a job as a firefighter in Aug. 2021.
- Met Fitzsimmons in September 2023 after she reached out to him on Facebook. He moved in with her six months after they met.
- They had a child together; their relationship became strained and he decided to get a restraining order on June 30.
- Wanted to see his son because she sent him disturbing messages; the day prior he picked up his firearms because hew as concerned his son’s life was at risk (he owned roughly nine).
- On June 30, was calling and texting Fitzsimmons, who was trying to get him to meet her.
- He thought his son’s life was in danger.
- WATCH: Ex-Fiancé Feared for Son’s Life Before Alleged Cop-on-Cop Shooting
- Patrick Noonan, North Andover Police Dept.
- On patrol on June 30, 2025.
- Knew there might be a child in the house which would be given to the dad.
- The defendant parked her car 150 yards away from the house, they thought that was weird.
- Officers explained that Aylaian had a restraining order and they had to remove the guns and the child. She told him the guns were in the basement.
- He handed the kid to someone else and he went upstairs while Fitzsimmons was getting clothes for the child.
- Fitzsimmons was visibly upset and started to shake. She was on one knee, wrapping up clothes and then lunged behind the door frame.
- She reappeared with a gun and pointed it at him and pulled the trigger; he screamed her name and drew his weapon as she was backpedaling.
- When she got a round in the chamber, he shot at her twice.
- WATCH: Officer Details Intense Moments From Cop-on-Cop Shooting Incident
