BURLINGTON POLICE: The Burlington Police Department saw yet another shooting recently, luckily no one was apparently hurt.
Vermont State Police and local departments continue to deal with shootings and other serious crimes, including a double shooting that occurred on Sunday in Leicester and another shooting in Burlington last week.
Double shooting over the weekend
In Sunday’s incident in Leicester, one man was killed and another taken to the hospital in critical condition. It’s being described by police as a targeted attack, meaning the general public is considered not at further risk.
The survivor was first treated at the Porter Medical Center in Middlebury, but was then taken by helicopter to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, where he was considered in stable but critical condition.
A black Nissan sedan was seen leaving from around where the shooting occurred. The police are seeking any new information as they do not yet have any suspects in custody. Anyone who might have seen something suspicious or out of the ordinary between 9:30-10 p.m. Sunday near the location where the shooting occurred are urged to contact police.
On Tuesday, the identity of the two victims was released. Scott Lanpher, 35, was killed, and his 31-year-old brother, Larry Lanpher Jr., was injured. Both lived at the property where the incident occurred on Route 7.
Another shooting in Burlington
Last week there was another shooting in Burlington near Bank Street and South Winooski Avenue, this one involving shots fired and hitting a motorbike.
The department’s release states “a gas-powered bike was impacted by a bullet. The BPD is seeking the owner of the bike – the bike owner may be a victim/witness.”
A school shooting threat from outside the region
Vermont State Police are looking into a threatening phone call received at the Timson Hill Preschool in Newfane.
The report states, “The incident occurred at about 2:29 p.m. Friday, June 2, 2023, when an unknown caller made a threat of carrying out a shooting at the school. Troopers responded and found no indication of anything amiss.”
It adds that the state police remained at the school until all the parents had arrived to pick up the children. They pursued the threat and determined it to be a non-local number.
“The Windham County Sheriff’s Department responded to nearby schools to provide an additional police presence. Preliminary investigation indicates the call originated from outside the area, and that the threat was not credible,” the release states.
Hate crimes during Pride Month?
There have been instances of vandalism against LGBTQ-themed flags and other displays that the media are calling hate crimes. So far law enforcement has not been able to identify the perpetrators.
In an NBC interview with Dana Kaplan, a representative from the social justice advocacy group Outright Vermont, Kaplan said hate crimes against those in the LGBTQ community are on the rise.
“This is a tough moment, 2023 has been brutal,” Kaplan said. “We’ve seen an uptick across Vermont and certainly across the country in terms of targeted hate and messages that tell young people and queer and trans adults that who they are is not allowed to exist.”
The report continues that a pride flag was vandalized Friday morning. They also report that police are treating it as a bias incident.
Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.
That is funny you say that when it’s your sisters and daughters bringing the black men here via dating websites or for the exchange of having a black baby for a green card. Furthermore, most of the people involved in the shootings are not Black Americans so let’s be clear about that. Most of the people who sell drugs are white Vermonters! The people that are truly responsible are some of you parents who can’t control your kids so you stick them on 30m of Adderal at 10 yrs old and wonder why your kids are full-blown junkies by 18!-Then you throw them away. These are yall trust fund babies out here doing this mess and the Black folks you speak about are the ones working jobs- while your daughters and sisters sit in the house getting high, living off the state running a race for who can have the most black babies they can – Now sit with that.
“This is a tough moment, 2023 has been brutal,” Kaplan said. “We’ve seen an uptick across Vermont and certainly across the country in terms of targeted hate and messages that tell young people and queer and trans adults that who they are is not allowed to exist.”
Maybe that gives them a taste of what it is like to be “out” as a conservative in the State of Vermont. Threats and vandalism are to be expected whenever one proudly displays love of Country and the Constitution, and patriotism is now regarded by the left as “fascism”. Most conservatives profess a live and let live philosophy, but leftists with their “microaggression” model regard speech they dont agree with as a hate crime that justifies physical retribution. Oh, and “silence equals violence” when you DONT say what they want to hear.
How irresponsible (at the very least) of media outlets to label vandalization as a hate crime without evidence. It is also possible that some leftist extremists are vandalizing their own flags and signs and blaming so-called right-wing extremists. That playbook was exposed January 6.
finally the hate of liberalism/progressivism is bleeding out into the landscape turning Vermont into the leftist utopia they all wish on us. Ain’t being ruled by commies fun? When will the voters decide enough is enough and send competent Representatives to serve us? I really doubt it will happen so buckle up butter cup it’s only gong to get worse.
But potential ‘hate crimes’ are much worse than the drug gangs (and safer for the few law enforcement left in the State to investigate).