by Guy Page
A day before their scheduled participation in Mayor Miro Weinberger’s second Community Forum on Public Safety, workers at a Burlington anti-incarceration organization were terrorized Monday afternoon by a knife-wielding man with a lengthy police history, including missing 13 court dates.
Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform supports drug abuse treatment rather than incarceration for drug crimes, “ending unnecessary incarceration,” and “ending the use of out-of-state prisons,” according to its website and Facebook page.
At about 2:36 pm, BPD dispatchers received calls stating that a man was brandishing a knife in the 109 Bank Street offices of Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform. Dispatchers reported hearing loud yelling in the background and had trouble communicating with the caller.
Responding officers made contact with the suspect at gunpoint, and issued hard commands for him to show his hands. He was taken into custody without incident and a knife was recovered from the ground near his feet.
Jason Casey, 40, of Colchester was arrested for Aggravated Disorderly Conduct and jailed with bail. Police have had hundreds of previous encounters with Casey, among them numerous incidents involving assaults, including assaults on Howard Center workers and incidents where police officers have been injured. He has been involved in more than 20 police encounters in December 2023 so far, including in Barre, Berlin, Essex, Montpelier, South Burlington, and Burlington.
Police said Casey entered the Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform office and engaged in tumultuous, threatening behavior including yelling and making stabbing gestures with a knife. Several employees were ushered away from him into safer rooms while one remained to attempt to de-escalate Casey.
Casey’s criminal history reflects 13 failures to appear. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Burlington Police Department at 658-2704.
Jess Kirby, Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform will be a panelist at Community Forum Part 2: Substance Use Disorder and Property Crime Tuesday, December 19 from 6 – 7:30 pm at Contois Auditorium, City Hall.
The other scheduled panelists are:
- Commissioner Mark Levine, Vermont Department of Health
- Chief Jon Murad, Burlington Police Department
- Mayor Miro Weinberger
- State’s Attorney Sarah George
- Rachel Jolly, Community Justice Center
- US Attorney Nikolas Kerest.
Contribute to Vermont Daily Chronicle via Stripe.com – quick, easy, confidential
Discover more from Vermont Daily Chronicle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: Burlington, Crime
ban knifes need a back round check ops that will not work the crazy will not obey
Gotta love it.
Burlington anti-incarceration organization was terrorized Monday afternoon by a knife-wielding man……..
Bet these ” anti-incarceration” clowns had a “come to Jesus moment ” Idiots !!!
Hey I have an idea. Let” let him go again. What are the chances he’ll offend again ? We just legalized gambling, we can bet on it !
It seems that giving the threatening individual an opportunity to swap his weapon for a paintbrush to express his inner rage just wasn’t going to do it for him. Is this organization all broken up that this repeat offender is now “incarcerated”? This would have been the PERFECT opportunity for the Burlington Police to demonstrate how a situation would play out if they had said they were just too understaffed to respond…just deal with it yourselves, moonbats…we’ll send over a social worker instead…you’ll be fine. The irony of the situation is just delicious. Unfortunately, the Burlington police have far too much integrity and class to leave these moonbats hanging.
Look no further than the Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform for some of the root causes of crime, violence and overall mayhem in Burlington. There really is no truth in advertising since a more truthful activist group name would be “Out of State Progressives for the expansion of Violent crime on the Citizens of Vermont”. Perhaps a few more “hate has no home here” lawn signs around their property ought to shield them from future attacks.