Burlington is different now. You can feel it when you walk down Church Street or cut through the Old North End. For decades, this was the "safe" city—the place where the biggest worry was a stolen bike or a noisy college party. But a recent string of incidents involving a shooting in burlington vt has changed the vibe. Honestly, it’s complicated.
One day you're reading about a standoff on Riverside Avenue, and the next, there’s a report of shell casings found near North Winooski. It’s a lot to process for a town of 45,000 people.
The Reality of the Shooting in Burlington VT
On December 22, 2025, just before the holidays, shots rang out near North Winooski Avenue and Grant Street. It was 9:36 PM. People were running. Police eventually arrested Nathan Washington, a 46-year-old from Philadelphia, and charged him with reckless endangerment. They also picked up a local woman on an unrelated warrant.
This wasn't some random act of terror. Police basically said it was an isolated thing between people who knew each other. That’s the pattern lately. It’s rarely a stranger-danger situation, but that doesn't make the sound of gunfire any less terrifying when it's outside your window.
Varying incidents keep the city on edge. Earlier in 2025, back in April, a shooting on Isham Street left a victim with serious wounds. The suspect, Nazareth Gonzalez, was caught in St. Albans after a brief manhunt. He had four prior felony convictions. People ask: why was he out? It’s a question that gets shouted at every City Council meeting these days.
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The Standoff on Riverside Avenue
September 21, 2025, was a long day. It started at 7:30 AM with a disturbance call. It ended with a police officer, Brady McGee, discharging his rifle and striking 32-year-old Aaron Loucks.
Loucks had barricaded himself. Neighbors watched for hours as the street was blocked off between Intervale and Bright. One resident, Kenna Dwinell, mentioned she’d called the cops on him just days before because he was in a mental health crisis and trashing her Halloween decorations.
- The situation escalated for nearly 12 hours.
- Non-deadly force didn't work.
- The Vermont State Police had to take over the investigation.
It’s these kinds of high-visibility events that make "shooting in burlington vt" a trending search term. They happen in neighborhoods where people push strollers and walk their dogs.
Why the Numbers Feel Different
If you look at the raw data, Vermont is still one of the safest states in the country. SafeHome.org ranks it 43rd out of 50 for violent crime. That’s good! But the "gunfire incident" stat in Burlington has been creeping up.
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Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George has been in the hot seat for years over her "restorative justice" approach. Some say it's progressive and necessary. Others think it’s a revolving door for criminals. There’s no easy answer.
One thing is certain: the fentanyl crisis is the engine behind a lot of this. Drug sales and search warrants often lead back to the same addresses where gunfire is reported. In July 2025, the BPD’s Emergency Response Unit hit a spot in Winooski as part of a massive drug investigation. These aren't separate issues. They are tied together by a very tight, very messy knot.
The 2023 Shooting and the Aftermath
You can't talk about a shooting in burlington vt without mentioning the 2023 attack on three Palestinian students. That incident shook the city to its core. Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ali Ahmad were just walking when they were shot.
The suspect, Jason Eaton, is still moving through the court system. In early 2025, his lawyers started "exploring" an insanity defense. This case is a heavy shadow over the city. It brought national cameras to our small streets and made everyone realize that even a place like Burlington isn't a bubble.
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What's Being Done?
Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak has been hosting public safety forums. They're usually packed. People are frustrated. The city has created "Hot Spots" teams—multi-department groups that meet weekly to talk about specific corners and parks.
They’re trying to increase police visibility. The theory is that if a cop is standing there, people are less likely to pull a trigger. It’s basic, but the department is still understaffed. They’re leaning on the "Community Safety Advisors" and the Howard Center Street Outreach to handle the mental health side of things so the cops can focus on the guys with the guns.
Actionable Steps for Residents
Kinda feels like you're helpless, right? You're not. Here is what's actually happening on the ground and what you can do.
- Sign up for VT-Alert. This is how the city pushes out real-time info when a street is blocked off or there’s an active scene.
- Use SeeClickFix. It’s not just for potholes. If a streetlight is out or a park feels "sketchy" due to broken glass or debris, reporting it actually gets it on the city's radar for the Hot Spots team.
- Go to the Forums. The Mayor’s office actually listens to the data from these meetings. If you don't show up, the policy is made without your input.
- Know Your Neighbors. In the Riverside standoff, it was a neighbor who knew Loucks was struggling. Sometimes, early intervention from social services can prevent a barricade situation before it starts.
The reality of a shooting in burlington vt is that it's usually a symptom of a deeper problem—drugs, mental health, or a specific feud. It’s rare for a random passerby to be targeted, but "rare" isn't "never." Staying informed isn't about being scared; it's about knowing the landscape of the city as it exists in 2026, not how it was twenty years ago.
Burlington is still the Queen City. It’s still beautiful. But it’s also a city dealing with very real, very modern growing pains. Watching the police blotter and staying engaged with the community safety updates is the best way to navigate it.