Massachusetts State Police trooper relieved of duty after assault, strangulation arrest

FITCHBURG, Mass. — A Massachusetts State Police trooper has been relieved of his duty after he was arrested on assault and strangulation charges in Fitchburg earlier this month, officials said.

Dylan A. Knox, a 31-year-old resident of Marshall Street in Fitchburg, is facing charges including two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, strangulation or suffocation, witness intimidation, and assault and battery on a household or family member in connection with a domestic violence incident involving a woman who he had been in a “substantive dating relationship” with, according to a criminal complaint.

Knox pushed his partner of six years against a wall and raised his fist in a threatening manner before strangling her by “intentionally applying pressure to her throat,” causing the victim to “experience difficulty breathing and hyperventilating,” the complaint stated.

Police noted in the complaint that the victim told investigators that Knox tried to strangle her four times and that each attempt lasted about 30 seconds.

Knox is also accused of threatening the victim with a kitchen knife and his firearms, allegedly yelling during the altercation, “I’m going to kill you!”

At one point, Knox discarded the victim’s phone when she attempted to activate her iPhone Emergency SOS feature, according to the complaint.

State police have opened an internal affairs investigation into Knox and relieved him of his duty, “stripping him of all police authority,” a department spokesman confirmed in a statement shared with Boston 25.

Knox’s Boston-based attorney, Benjamin Megrian, told Boston 25 that his client “steadfastly denies” the allegations against him.

“He has dutifully and faithfully served his community for the past five years. Dylan looks forward to putting this case behind him and continuing to serve the citizens of the Commonwealth,” Megrian said in a statement.”

An investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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