One dead after drug-related shootout in Burlington's Old North End

Elizabeth Murray Jess Aloe
Burlington Free Press

Benzel Hampton, 23, was killed Tuesday afternoon during an "exchange of gunfire" on North Willard Street, Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo said.

UPDATE:Woman arrested in connection to Old North End shooting

Police believe Hampton shot his alleged attacker multiple times. The other person, who police declined to identify, has been admitted to the University of Vermont Medical Center. He is expected to survive.

The motive appears to be drugs, del Pozo said, but the investigation is ongoing and police are trying to determine whether anyone else was involved in the shooting.

North Willard Street has been closed between Pomeroy and Archibald streets. Colchester Avenue from Mansfield Avenue to North Prospect Street was also closed entirely "due to an ongoing incident," Burlington dispatch said in an earlier news release.

As of 5 p.m., Colchester Avenue was re-opened to traffic while a block of North Willard remained sealed off with yellow crime scene tape.

A black Nissan SUV that was towed from Colchester Avenue this afternoon was related to the shooting, but none of the violence occurred there, the chief said. Instead, the car was taking the alleged shooter to the hospital.

Nick Gentile, a Burlington resident who lives about a block away from the scene, said he heard about five gunshots shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday. Gentile is a former employee of FreePress Media.

As of about 3:30 p.m., at least one Burlington crime scene officer was on the scene of the shooting. 

 

This story may be updated.

Contact Jess Aloe at 802-660-1874 or jaloe@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @jess_aloe. Contact Elizabeth Murray at 802-651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LizMurrayBFP.