MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -
Investigators worked to collect evidence from a Middlebury home Friday hours after they say a gunfight between police and owner of the home, ended in the owner's death.
Leo Lessor lives across the street.
He was surprised to see police when he got home Thursday afternoon.
"The town cop was standing there going like that, giving the motion like, get out of there," said Lessor.
Lessor saw police around his neighbor, George Demarais' home.
A man that he says wasn't very pleasant.
"I got his mail in my mailbox once and I went over and brought it to him and I handed it to him and not even a thank-you," said Lessor.
Here's how Thursday's events began.
Police say Demarais called 911 and said he wanted to be killed by a cop.
When they arrived they found a note on Demarais car that said, "Come and get me, I hope you can shoot straight because I can."
Police found him behind his house, and they say he opened fire.
They fired back and during the gunfight, Demarais was killed.
With the shooting involving Middlebury police officers, state police took over the investigation on Friday.
State police say the Middlebury police chief requested their agency investigate the incident, to determine how Demarais ended up dead.
A situation that was hair rising for some who live on this stretch of road.
"It was a little scary because we didn't know what was going on," said Lessor.
Police aren't sure if Demarais was killed by an officer or if he killed himself.
As for why he might have done this, police say they're still trying to determine that.
