North Andover firefighter Justin Aylaian is back on the job after an independent investigation found insufficient evidence he violated town policy, ending more than four months of paid administrative leave.

The town hired Pembroke-based law firm Clifford & Kenny LLP to investigate allegations made against Aylaian in probate and family court pleadings filed by his former fiancée, Kelsey Fitzsimmons, a former North Andover police officer. The report found each allegation involved conduct outside the workplace and that the record did not support the claims, according to the Eagle-Tribune, which published details of the investigation Thursday, Aug. 13.

A North Andover town spokesperson confirmed Aylaian's return to duty in late July but declined further comment, calling it a personnel matter, WCVB reported.

How the investigation started

Aylaian was placed on paid administrative leave in March after Fitzsimmons' defense team released surveillance camera footage during her criminal trial that purportedly showed him smoking in their yard. Her attorneys sought a subpoena ordering the North Andover Fire Department to turn over Aylaian's disciplinary records. Essex Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Karp denied that motion.

The criminal case itself stemmed from a June 30, 2025, incident at 125 Phillips Brook Road in North Andover. Officers went to Fitzsimmons' home to serve a restraining order obtained by Aylaian. During the encounter, fellow officer Patrick Noonan shot Fitzsimmons in the chest.

Fitzsimmons was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. She chose a bench trial and was found not guilty in late March 2026. She testified she was experiencing a mental health crisis and had intended to use the gun on herself, not on Officer Noonan.

Broader dispute

Fitzsimmons also accused Aylaian and other men of breaking into her home and taking items in the days after the June 2025 shooting. Essex District Attorney Paul Tucker's office declined to press charges against Aylaian, according to Boston.com reporting. Aylaian told NBC10 Boston in February that he "had every legal right to get into my own home to get my belongings and more importantly, my son's belongings."

No further proceedings related to the town's personnel matter have been announced. The North Andover Fire Department, led by Chief John Weir, has not issued a public statement on the investigation's outcome.

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