Lawyer charged with manslaughter for shooting man in the head outside practice, police say

LITCHFIELD, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) – A Connecticut lawyer under investigation for a deadly shooting outside of his law practice last year is now facing a manslaughter charge.

According to Connecticut State Police, Robert Lownds Fisher, 75, turned himself in on Wednesday. An active warrant had been issued for Fisher’s arrest.

Fisher is accused of shooting Matthew Bromley, 39, in the head in the parking lot of the Cramer & Anderson Law Firm in Litchfield on June 7, 2021.

According to the warrant, Fisher called 911 after the shooting and reported that Bromley, whom he claimed he did not know, had assaulted him.

Fisher said that Bromley followed him to the parking lot, opened his car door, and punched him in the face. He said Bromley also threatened to kill the lawyer for “ruining his life.”

Fisher said he took out a gun and told Bromley to back off, but Bromley charged at him. That’s when Fisher said he fired.

Witnesses, however, said that Bromley actually appeared to back off at that point and did not charge at Fisher.

Fisher told the dispatcher that he was bleeding a little and had some bruising, but he was otherwise fine. He told the dispatcher the victim was lying on his back on the pavement.

According to the warrant, an employee of the law firm said Bromley was not a client. However, Bromley did once call the law firm to inquire about a foreclosure on his mother’s home and spoke to Fisher. Fisher told Bromley that he didn’t handle foreclosures. The back-and-forth was a bit elevated, the employee said.

However, the employee said that appeared to be the extent of the conversation and there was no other contact since.

Fisher is a certified pistol instructor with no criminal record.

He was charged with first-degree manslaughter with a firearm. He was released on a $50,000 bond.