VERGENNES, Vt. (AP) – A state police trooper fatally shot a man over the weekend who authorities said had aimed a shotgun at officers responding to a domestic assault incident.

Merrill Patten, 37, was pronounced dead on the scene late Saturday by a regional medical examiner, state police said.

State police had gone to the man’s apartment after being contacted by local authorities who had asked for assistance in investigating a domestic assault case there.

A woman who said she had been physically assaulted told police that Merrill Patten had a gun and “threatened use of the firearm on police officers and himself,” according to a press release issued by state police Sunday afternoon.

A local police officer along with two state troopers entered the apartment to arrest the man.

“While at the residence, the officers clearly identified themselves and while searching they heard a sound consistent with that of a firearm being loaded,” the statement said.

Police then heard the man warn the officers to leave “if they knew what was good for them,” the statement said.

Officers then found the man, who they said had a shotgun aimed toward them, authorities said.

The officers then yelled several times for him to drop his weapon, the statement said.

“Fearing for the safety of himself and the other officers, Senior Trooper (Robert) Patten discharged his service pistol, striking the accused,” it said.

State police said the officer who fired his gun was of no relation to the man fatally shot.

The case is under investigation by detectives from state police headquarters along with others from the St. Albans and St. Johnsbury barracks.

Police said Sunday it is standard procedure to have detectives from other barracks investigate such incidents.

No other information was available Sunday; state police said they planned to hold a news conference Monday about the incident.

AP-ES-07-06-03 1604EDT