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by Guy Page
The Burlington Police Department has long been hesitant to use the ‘gang’ word to describe large groups of young people perpetrating assaults and gun violence. But in a recent press statement, BPD came as close as it ever has come to blaming a spate of violent crimes on gangs.
When asked about gang activity in the past, Chief Jon Murad has refrained from using the term. Burlington is no stranger to big-city gang activity, as the Crips and the Bloods have been blamed for some drug dealing and a Burlington courthouse this May was defaced with ‘Crips’ spray painted in blue. Murad has said that there are local groups of young people, especially young men, who are prone to acting violently with each other and other similar groups.
But Saturday’s statement was perhaps BPD’s most explicit statement yet about gang violence in Burlington, although still without using the g-word: “These crimes have been associated with large groups of suspects and perpetrators, some of whom have been identified as juveniles….Many of the involved persons have been shown to carry firearms…”
The full press release, with minor edits for clarity and brevity, is published below.
The Burlington Police Department wants the public’s help to solve several violent crimes that have taken place in downtown Burlington over the past two weeks.
“These crimes have been associated with large groups of suspects and perpetrators, some of whom have been identified as juveniles,” an August 24 BPD statement said. “Many of the involved persons have been shown to carry firearms, and the shooting that occurred on August 11 at the A_Dog Skatepark, in which a juvenile from New York was shot in the torso, is associated with these violent acts.
Summaries of these related incidents are provided below, and select video footage is available at the following link. (Suspects who have been identified as juveniles and victims have been redacted.)
Anyone with information about any of the incidents below is asked to contact Detective Corporal Beal at (802) 540-2364.
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
On Friday, August 9, 2024, at 11:46 pm, officers with the Burlington Police Department responded to the University of Vermont Medical Center for a late-reported assault that occurred on Main Street earlier in the night. Investigation revealed the victim was assaulted by two male suspects with firearms (colloquially “pistol whipped”), which rendered the victim unconscious. The male suspects continued to assault the victim and then fled.
JUVENILE PROBLEM
On Saturday, August 10, at 1:38 am, officers with the BPD were on foot patrol in the area of Church Street. The officers were approached by an individual stating staff at a nearby business needed assistance dealing with an aggressive individual. Investigation determined the aggressive individual was a 16-year-old juvenile. Police took the juvenile into custody and the juvenile was later released to his parents. The juvenile was issued a ticket for Disorderly Conduct as well as a trespass from the Marketplace for the remainder of the day.
RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
On Saturday, August 10, at 11:29 pm, the BPD received multiple calls reporting the sound of gunshots in the area of the Community Bank ATM drive through on College Street.
One caller identified a group of males running around carrying firearms. Video footage obtained by investigators substantiated the calls, determining that an apparent argument took place in the alleyway between City Hall and Burlington City Arts, connecting City Hall Park with Church Street. Investigators reviewing a variety of surveillance footage of the incident observed multiple males draw concealed firearms, as well as others who displayed behavior that suggested they also had concealed firearms.
The group proceeded to chase after the two males with whom they had engaged in a confrontation, after which gunshots are heard on one source of surveillance footage, apparently coming from the vicinity of the parking garage.
No persons were injured by gunfire, and although investigators have not recovered ballistics evidence of a firearms discharge, the visual proof of the presence of guns and the audio of gunfire constitute probable cause that a firearm was discharged and reasonable suspicion that it was discharged in a criminal manner. Therefore, this incident is categorized as a gunfire incident, the seventh of 2024.
This incident was followed a few hours later by the confirmed shooting in the A_Dog Skatepark, the eighth gunfire incident of 2024. The juvenile victim in that shooting is among the persons involved in the reckless endangerment and display of firearms in the alleyway; his video image has been redacted.
ROBBERY / DISTURBANCE / AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
On Sunday, August 11, 2024, at approximately 4:13 am, BPD officers responded to a report of a large disturbance involving 10+ people. Once on scene, investigation revealed an individual was assaulted and had his wallet stolen by a group of suspects. Officers remained on scene for a short time but had to leave to respond to the skatepark shooting incident.
A short time later, BPD received reports of a large disturbance involving 15+ people (believed to be the same group from the disturbance earlier). Because of the shooting incident, no officers were able to respond.
Because of the shooting incident and the high volume of calls, which engaged both midnight shift officers, supervisors called in day shift officers early. When one arrived at 6:00 am, he was assigned to the assault case that stemmed from these disturbances. Investigation revealed a large group assaulted one individual. It was also reported that at least one person from this group produced a firearm during the assault and another person may have been cut with a knife.
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
On Sunday, August 11, at 4:38 am, a shooting occurred at the A_Dog Skatepark on the Burlington waterfront. Please see the earlier press release. This was the eighth gunfire incident of 2024.
SIMPLE ASSAULT
On Sunday, August 18, at 2:44 am, BPD officers were on foot patrol in the area of Main Street. The officers were notified of a physical disturbance at a nearby business where an individual was on the ground being assaulted. When officers responded, 20 suspects dispersed and walked into City Hall Park away from officers. Surveillance footage shows that, prior to officers’ arrival, an individual was thrown to the ground and kicked repeatedly by a number of people.
ASSAULT & ROBBERY
On Sunday, August 18, at 3:40 am, five suspects assaulted an individual. A bystander intervened and the suspects then attacked the bystander. The suspects chased the bystander out of City Hall Park to Church Street and Main Street and knocked the bystander to the ground, assaulted the bystander, and stole the bystander’s shoes.
Upon canvasing, officers located three juveniles, ages 13, 14, and 15 years old. The 13-year-old juvenile and the 14-year-old juvenile were arrested and charged with assault and robbery, and false reports to law enforcement authorities. The 15-year-old juvenile was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. All three juveniles were released to their guardians with juvenile citations.
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Categories: Burlington, Crime
Probably a bunch of 7th generation Vermonters.
Ain’t diversity great??
Folks like me (9th generation) can’t stand those flatlander 7th gens! 🤣
Given the amount of weapons and ammunition involved , it would appear that the VT National Guard has taken to the streets causing all these violent acts. maybe they had mistaken BTV for the Jericho firing range.
Let’s call a spade a spade and defund these radicals who cause nothing but mayhem in Burlington . I have heard rumors that they are actively recruiting in Springfield MA and the Bronx NY to fill their ranks.
“local groups of young people, especially young men, who are prone to acting violently with each other and other similar groups. ”
In the current woke environment, can’t say i blame Chief Murad for defining but not using the “g” word. Also, as long as he only mentions demographics to include gender and age, he doesn’t cross the line. If any other obvious and overt characteristics of those he is referring to are accurately used, that would of course be racist. It really is best that we avoid talking about the problem and not propose any solutions such as prosecuting those who commit violent crime. If we just ignore the problem and allow Burlington’s progressive leadership to blame root causes, the problem is sure to go away. Everyone just needs to focus on the joy and exuberance of the Harris/Wald campaign. Dont worry…be happy!
Wouldn’t that be called gangs?
You know, the people who were defacing the I-89 bridge near Richmond before it’s even finished? You mean those guys?
You mean all the groups of people bringing drugs into Vermont….also known as gangs?
You mean the free place we provide them to stay with their imported sugar mama? Those groups of people?
We have big city issues because we brought in big city business and big city solutions.
Who is censoring and threatening the police department,???????
Why can’t they freely report gang activity?????
If we aren’t willing to admit that our state is overrun with out of state drug dealers, out of state crime organizations, how are we going to address the issue?
Everybody knows, sees, experiences crime on a daily and in retail businesses hourly basis every day of the week.
There are killings, homelessness is rampant, drug needles on the main walking street in Burlington, front door of the mayors office, we can’t walk off the pavement of any rest area for fear of stepping on needles.
I think the people of Burlington notice, certainly all the out of state people are talking about it, they are concerned for their children’s safety, why they would send them to UVM, boggles my mind…..but whatever.
When we go to a public space and see an improperly discarded syringe/needle in our dog’s mouth or our child’s hand, it should make us beam with pride that we deem it a social health priority and invest public resources to make sure that plenty of fresh, clean needles are freely available. Remember, this is provided in the interest of “harm reduction” to protect the lives of those suffering from substance use disorders. Their self esteem and convenience should always be a top priority of a compassionate, progressive society.
I believe the censoring of descriptions defining criminal activity comes directly from the very liberal mayor and her staff. Doesn’t want to put bad words stating the true nature of ‘”bad” things happening in her city. Note also the number of Liberal legislators that come from that region. They don’t have a clue what to do. Maybe they will be a victim in the near future, It’s the result of their policies also. Don’t hear a peep from them. Haven’t figured out how to tax the GANGS yet.
GANGS! GANGS! GANGS! GANGS! Was that so hard?
The Do Nothing Party city Mayor is deaf to the word…her only “G” concerns are Gender and Godless Government…let’s add Gutless and thoughtless Glibness to her non existent action plans. Our strongest G stance is “God Bless our Police and all Law Enforcement Personnel” … Amen.
Define the police. What a great idea. Imagine, the mind dazzling brilliance to produce such an idea. With the increase in crime, the increase in taxes, the increase in cost of electricity, and the coming increase in costs of fuels, good VT citizens will have to leave in order to survive.
Vermont police officers can’t do their jobs properly or speak freely about what they know to be true. The State of Vermont and DEI appointees on the oversight task forces placed a choke collar around their necks. Should they step out of line or don’t parrott the narrative, the jack boot comes down on said necks and they are railroaded out of a job. I spoke to a police officer months ago in my city. He was being diplomatic and reserved, but the Truth was all over his face as he told of encounters going on in the neighborhood.
Above all, when prosecutors don’t prosecute, judges collect salaries and pensions pretending to be ethical, installed legislator activisits are hogs at the trough, and non-profiteers run the 24/7 laundromats; the law has no teeth or standards. The police know it and work within a broken system every day.
Burlington isn’t the only bad A*** city. In Bennington wonder how the police there handle it. Seems not much. The cities have the trouble, not rural areas being more Conservative. Little Newfane had a problem and they are Liberal.
In a partial post example by
Kathleen J Gaffney August 19, 2024 at 8:34 pm
Shires Housing singlehandedly DESTROYED Bennington. The tourism died. The businesses all along Main Street closed up & ditched the town. The old old-money residents of beautiful, historic Old Bennington listed their homes & “got out of Dodge”. Shires Housing has a PERMANENT location in Bennington – and builds unending scores of “affordable” (i.e.: low income) housing ALL over Bennington County & its ripple effects have naturally been crime, poverty, & LOTS of drugs.
Shires Housing NOW has its sights set on ruining Manchester in the North Shire – and of course many there are far too fearful to fight their phony P.C. bologna!
Vermont is being destroyed 1) by Liberals, 2) by criminals. Liberals block the punishment of criminals, so both elements flourish and are the problem. If criminals attack Liberals, perhaps the tide will turn. VT has experienced two floodings 1) water and 2) criminals. Good post KG.
Thanks Tom. Bennington is tragically a shell of its former self & appears more like the South Bronx now than a once-thriving southern VT small town. And these fools still rally, across the state no less, for MORE “affordable housing”.
Simultaneously, the Bennington selectboard makes SURE to hang their “rainbow” flags up & down Main Street just in time for……wait for it………….the Fourth of July Holiday!
Twisted is as twisted does, I guess. We are alive to witness the downfall of America as the Communists take over; McCarthy was spot on! It’s all so surreal.
Seems to me it doesn’t matter much whether you call these groups by a politically correct phrase, or by what they are – gangs. “Gangs gonna do gang ‘stuff’ “.
Tell me again how this “defund the police” and “release felons on their own recognizance” has improved Vermont? Or any other state?
I’ll wait…………………
“The Burlington Police Department has long been hesitant to use the ‘gang’ word to describe large groups of young people perpetrating assaults and gun violence.” Call a Spade a Spade. These acts are not being perpetrated by deer hunters enroute to or from game feeds. I have always thought that to address a problem, first you have to admit you have one, and what that problem is. This violence is being perpetrated by human beings upon other human beings, not by guns or blades, but it is always easier to blame an inanimate object. The fact is that Burlington has become a haven to lowlife dirtbags because they feel relatively safe in the fact that if they perpetrate these crimes they will either get away with them, or the punishment will be so light that it makes getting caught worth it. Get rid of easy on crime prosecutors, and watch the numbers drop.
All this BS is because of the liberal mindset, Burlington has become a cesspool, and the lack of any real punishment for any of the crimes is a joke, I hate to say it but the citizens will get fed up, and start taking things into there own hands……………………
The DEI Mayor in Burlington, better get behind the police department and help them achieve stability in the city, as we have seen the city council is a gaggle of fools, agenda-driven nonsense, how do these people get elected ” no citizens ” voting because they are promised all sort of free stuff for the vote !!
Burlington has become a pretty pathetic place to visit, the word is getting out and the downtown will dry up like an old flower.
The homeowners and business owners/operators…people with actual skin in the game are now a minority in Burlington. The moonbats are in charge over a city where a majority of the population now constitute subsidized renters, junkies, vagrants and transient students with no long-term skin in the game. They voted for the mayor they figured would promise them the most free stuff coming at the expense of productive citizens. This is not a socially or economically sustainable situation. Does anyone remember the economic mess created by the last Progressive Mayor…Bob Kiss? Get ready for a repeat performance by the female version. Burlington Progressives live in a world of economic and social fantasy and are not rooted in the realities of human behavior or guided by the concept of personal responsibility. Mayor Emma-Hyphen’s plan to deal with homelessness and vagrancy is to accommodate it even further. Joan Shannon for mayor was the last hope for a revival from the city being taken over by the moral, ethical and economic failures of progressivism. The last downtown pharmacy has closed down due to rampant shoplifting and the only downtown movie theater is soon to follow. Decent people should pledge to never again visit it or spend another nickel there…starve the beast. Business owners should look for retail space opportunities in the surrounding communities that have not surrendered themselves to the marxist anarchy. Burlington police should quit en-masse, as it is obvious that they are not appreciated by a majority of the population, and there are better opportunities in nearby towns, where they will be appreciated and better paid. RIP Burlington. What a shame.
Large groups of people armed with guns seem like one of the best ways to deter crimes. Is there something about these specific groups that are causing problems other than their guns? Where did these people come from, and what incentives do they have which lead them to choose where and how they act?
An alternative to fight crime is to have vigilantes, working in groups and dressed as elderly old folk and walk that way. It’ll be a magnet for gangs. Surprise, surprise. In NYC people in their 20’s formed the GUARDIAN ANGLES to protect people and businesses. They had their uniforms and were active many years. At least it put up a front to crime. Just walk around and look fragile and carry a big stick. Hit them in the Adams Apple and they will think about something else, if they could think after that hit. Do it too hard, you can kill them with that blow.
I had a friend that owned a bar in Stowe. If someone got rowdy he’d grab the Apple and pin them against a wall. No more problem. The Adams Apply is a huge weak spot, chop it or squeeze it.
Notice how Burlington is like New York City and the gang operations. Now what will be the final outcome and who is going to stop it.
The police must be trusted, and not second guessed, when they think have to use deadly force. It must be considered business as usual. The population in general should be encouraged to arm themselves just as was usual in the past. No criminal assaults someone that is likely to be armed, self defense must be considered a good enough reason.
Just to think that the voters of burlington overwhelmingly supported all this chaos in the name of diversity, equity and inclusion. It won’t get better unless the voters demand it.
Speaking from experience, this could have been stopped years ago when Bloods from NYC set up shop in Vermont. Proactive policing was curtailed thanks to progressive politicians, the ACLU( started lawsuits that favored the gangs), the VT Supreme Court ( who often decided in the gang members favor) and non believers in Police and Corrections. Don’t get me wrong, I support your rights. Raise the age laws sent the wrong message to gangs and helped create the violence that Vermont is experiencing today. The gangs from Massachusetts are very violent. Thank a liberal.