Barre police are investigating a violent early-morning assault that left a man seriously injured and led to the arrest of a parolee now facing an attempted homicide charge.

According to a Barre City Police Department press release, officers were called at approximately 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 17, to a residence in the unit block of Merchant Street for a report that a man had been struck in the head with an axe during a disturbance.

When officers arrived, they found a 55-year-old male victim who had been struck multiple times in the head with a pick-axe hatchet. The victim was transported to Central Vermont Medical Center and later transferred to the University of Vermont Medical Center. His condition was not known at the time of the release. Police said the alleged assailant fled the scene before officers arrived.

The suspect was later identified as Eric Shepard, 55, who has no permanent address.

While investigating the Merchant Street assault, officers were called at approximately 5:45 a.m. to a motel in the 300 block of North Main Street. Police said Shepard was allegedly involved in another disturbance there and was reported to have choked a 77-year-old man before again fleeing the scene. That incident remains under investigation.

At approximately 6:30 a.m., Shepard contacted the police department and indicated he wanted to turn himself in. Officers took Shepard into custody without incident at a convenience store in the 300 block of North Main Street.

Police said Shepard was on parole at the time of his arrest for prior assault and robbery charges, as well as a burglary charge. He was turned over to Barre Probation and Parole and lodged without bail pending a parole hearing.

In addition to the violent incidents, Shepard is also a suspect in multiple retail thefts involving several area convenience stores. Police reported that six incidents occurred between December 11 and December 16 in Barre, Montpelier, and Randolph, in which several cartons of cigarettes were stolen, with an estimated total value of approximately $1,500.

Shepard is scheduled to appear in Washington Superior Court on December 18, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. to answer a charge of attempted second-degree homicide. He was also issued citations to appear in Orange Superior Court and Washington Superior Court on January 28 and January 29, 2026, respectively, on retail theft charges. Police said additional charges may be pending, and some incidents remain under investigation.

The Barre City Police Department does not generally release the names of victims in assault cases.