By Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First
BURLINGTON – A Stowe man was fatally shot and a South Burlington woman arrested on a murder charge after a fight inside a Burlington bar spilled out onto Church Street early Saturday, officials said.
Officers attempting to provide medical care to the victim about 12:30 a.m., were hampered by a large crowd that surrounded the officers, Police Chief Jon Murad said. He said the crowd had to be pushed back to try to preserve the crime scene, which included shell casings, bullets, and blood evidence.
Aaliyah Johnson, 22, was lodged on a first-degree murder charge at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington about 11:20 a.m. Saturday, the corrections department said. She was ordered held without bail.
Police said Teville Williams, 30, of Stowe was shot several times reportedly by Johnson after both had been ordered to leave Red Square restaurant, which is diagonally across from Burlington City Hall. Downtown was particularly active because it was the first Saturday night for the fall semester of local colleges.
Williams was dead on arrival at the UVM Medical Center despite the life-saving efforts at the scene by first responders, police said.
Johnson is expected to be arraigned in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington today.
Murad said in a news release there was an initial altercation inside the bar in which Williams assaulted Johnson.
The Red Square staff directed both patrons to leave through separate doors, police said. Johnson exited one door, but moved toward the other door to confront Williams on Church Street, police said.
The Burlington city emergency dispatch center received a radio message about 12:28 a.m. from an unarmed Community Service Officer (CSO), who heard multiple gunshots while on foot patrol in City Hall Park, police said.
Officers responded and located a man who had been struck by gunfire. They immediately began CPR. An unnamed off-duty officer from an unidentified department was nearby also assisted, Murad said.
At the same time, another officer, who Murad also did not name or say if he was from Burlington, approached the scene and apprehended Johnson. The unidentified officer also recovered a .45 caliber pistol, police said.
The poorly drafted news release from Burlington Police never mentioned the specific criminal charge Johnson was arrested on, that she was lodged in jail and when she would be in court.
There was a large bar crowd downtown Friday night due to the return of college students from three local institutions starting fall classes this week.
A bystander shared with Vermont Daily Chronicle video of aid being given to the victim. It shows police stopping somebody wearing rubber gloves and appears to be giving CPR. Police did not resume CPR before the video ended a few seconds later. The video was taken down from the VDC YouTube Channel for ‘inappropriate content’, but can be seen on the VDC Facebook page.
Murad did say the homicide is believed not associated with the serious incidents described in an earlier BPD press release on Friday about a series of shootings and fights involving teens and young people. The news release does not call them Street Gangs – a term the Administration of Mayor Miro Weinberger banned by city police and others his tenure.
Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak appeared to downplay the fatal shooting as being among people known to each other.
“While this incident is very troubling, it appears to be an isolated act between two individuals known to each other. The investigation is ongoing,” according to Mulvaney-Stanak, who took office this spring.
Some on social media, including former police detectives, noted that most homicide victims know their killer.
“My thoughts are with those who were harmed by violence on Church Street last night, and I offer my condolences to the loved ones of the deceased,” the Mayor said in the prepared statement issued by her press spokesperson.
“Acts of violence like this one ripple throughout our community, impacting our sense of safety,” the Mayor said.
“Burlington is grappling with complex challenges stressing our community safety system as a whole. We are actively working to ensure that we have a community safety system that interrupts cycles of violence, reduces harm to our community, and centers victims and survivors,” Mulvaney-Stanak said.
Red Square posted on Facebook that the nightclub would not open Saturday night so staff members could have the time they needed to reflect and heal.