“They almost killed me in my own home.”

Those chilling words from former North Andover police officer Kelsey Fitzsimmons still echo as she recovers from a bullet that tore through her chest and exited less than an inch from her spine. The 29-year-old mother was shot by one of her own colleagues in June 2025 while battling severe postpartum depression, just months after giving birth to her son.

Sources say the nightmare began when three fellow officers, including Officer Patrick Noonan, arrived at her residence to serve a restraining order filed by her ex-fiancé, Justin Aylaian. The order demanded she immediately hand over custody of her four-month-old baby and even the family dog. Already in a fragile mental state, Fitzsimmons retreated to her bedroom. She later testified that she pulled out her service weapon intending to take her own life. But Noonan claimed she pointed the gun directly at him, heard a distinct “click” as she attempted to chamber a round, and “tap racked” the weapon twice.

Without hesitation, Noonan fired two shots. One bullet ripped through her lung and out her back. Fitzsimmons spent over 50 days in the hospital and underwent five surgeries. The physical pain was matched only by the emotional devastation of being separated from her infant son.

Investigators and the court have now re-examined the entire sequence after a judge acquitted Fitzsimmons last week of assault with a dangerous weapon in a bench trial. Reports state the judge cited reasonable doubt, noting conflicting testimony about whether she ever pointed the gun at Noonan or kept it trained on herself. Despite the acquittal, the department faces explosive accusations of mishandling the situation from the very beginning.

Sources say the decision to send three of her own colleagues to serve such a sensitive order on a fellow officer known to be struggling with postpartum depression raises serious red flags. Reports indicate the department showed little concern for de-escalation or mental health support. Even more damning, the North Andover Police Department’s official Facebook page allegedly posted mocking comments about the case, including the phrase “In other shocking news!” — a post that later sparked public outrage and was blamed on a former employee with lingering access.

Fitzsimmons’ attorney, Tim Bradl, has wasted no time firing back, accusing the department of “institutional deliberate indifference.” On April 3, 2026, her legal team plans to file presentment letters — the first formal step toward a major civil lawsuit against the town and the police department. The claims are expected to center on negligence, civil rights violations, and a possible cover-up to protect the officer who pulled the trigger.

The case has ignited fierce debate within law enforcement circles. Some defend Noonan’s split-second decision under perceived threat, while others question why proper protocols for handling an officer in crisis were seemingly ignored. Fitzsimmons has publicly shared a graphic image of her exit wound on social media, writing simply: “This is my exit wound. An inch from my spine.” The photo has gone viral, turning her personal tragedy into a national conversation about mental health support for police officers — especially new mothers — and the dangers of internal departmental conflicts.

As the civil case looms, many are asking how a routine service of papers escalated into a near-fatal shooting inside an officer’s own home. Fitzsimmons has described the moment she “lost everything in a 15-second conversation” with her colleagues, after which she felt she had nothing left to live for.

The full extent of any alleged cover-up remains shrouded in uncertainty. Was the department’s response a tragic failure of empathy and procedure, or was there something more deliberate at play to shield one of their own? With a lawsuit on the horizon and mounting public scrutiny, the answers could expose deep cracks in how police departments handle their most vulnerable members.

For Kelsey Fitzsimmons, survival has become a fight for accountability. Having stared down death in her own bedroom, she now refuses to let the system bury the truth.