Burlington Police worry more to come after 3 recent shootings - WCAX

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Police say three shootings in five days in Burlington are all connected and they worry there is more to come. They’re asking the public for help because they say those who know more about the escalating feud behind the violence aren’t talking. Our Ike Bendavid reports.

On Thursday, just before midnight, police responded to a call about a fight and shots fired at Oakledge Park in the city's South End.

"We believe that it involved a number of parties," Acting Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad said.

When officers arrived, they found no one injured. But they did find blood and ballistic evidence, and witnesses who would not cooperate.

Just hours later, on the other end of the city in Burlington's New North End, someone fired multiple shots at a house on Plattsburg Ave. Police say people were sleeping inside.

"It's really a matter of inches that people were not seriously injured or killed and we believe that incident was in relation for the first," Murad said.

We stopped at that house. You could see bullet holes from the outside. Inside, you can see the bullets went through multiple walls.

Furquan Mohammod lives in the home with her family.

"We are worried but I don't really know," Mohammod said.

I asked if she felt her house was targeted or shot at by mistake.

Reporter Ike Bendavid: Have you or any of your friends been at Oakledge or Leddy when any of these things have happened?

Furquan Mohammod: (Shakes her head no.)

Ike Bendavid: You think they got the wrong house?

Furquan Mohammod: Yeah.

"They purposely went to the address and targeted the door they were looking for," Murad said.

On Saturday-- no shooting, but police say partygoers got into a fight at a gathering near Buell and South Union streets in the Hill Section and police believe it was connected.

"There may have been an incident associated with this ongoing conflict at that party," Murad said.

Monday, the escalation continued; police say more shots were fired, this time at Leddy Park in the New North End.

They say two cars were parked in the Leddy Park parking lot when a third vehicle showed up and someone inside started shooting. One driver being shot at took off and crashed into a tree. Police say people in the car jumped out and dodged bullets as they ran into the woods.

"We are very concerned about this level of violence in our community and the fact that the only thing that has prevented incidents where people were struck and injured or killed has been dumb luck," Murad said.

Police believe everyone involved is at least 17 years old.

“We don’t believe that this has anything to do with entrepreneurial drug activity. We believe this has to do with respect and interpersonal conflict but we don’t know for sure,” Murad said in regard to a possible motive.

Investigators say this conflict is between groups and the public is not being targeted, but they are firing shots at each other in public places and police worry innocent bystanders could be injured.

Police say they are increasing patrols in city parks until they make arrests.

Because of the safety concerns, the city of Burlington says officers will be enforcing the closing times of Burlington parking lots.

They say the Leddy parking lot closes at 11:00 p.m. North Beach closes the gate at 7 p.m. and all other lots close at 9:30 p.m.