Why did it take Burlington police six days to report an attempted assault near UVM?

On November 13, 2024By Pranco

BURLINGTON, Va. (WCAX) – University of Vermont Police are investigating a recent attempted sexual assault downtown, as well as a separate but possibly related incident involving a man acting suspiciously on campus. The case has raised questions about how Burlington police responded to the initial call.

Reports of recent suspicious incidents on or near the UVM campus have students on alert.

“It’s definitely a bit concerning, especially as a woman. I moved my runs earlier in the evening,” said Tovsah Williams, a UVM sophomore

“We were getting these CAT alerts, like we were getting this image of this guy, trying to get us to identify them if we could. I haven’t seen him yet,” said Vaughn Wilde, a first-year UVM student.

The first incident occurred around 1 a.m. on November 2. Burlington police say a woman was walking near the intersection of Maple Street and South Prospect Street when she was tackled into some bushes and the suspect tried to take off her clothes. They say bystanders pulled him away and he fled.

Although Burlington police responded immediately, they did not report the attempted assault near the UVM campus to UVM police until Friday, six days later. UVM police then informed the public.

“I don’t know until we were made aware of it. I think more efforts can be made for a faster response,” Williams said.

While it is not clear who was involved, UVM police say that after being notified, they issued a campus-wide alert and took over the investigation. They also soon reported a second incident, a suspicious man seen on campus. They say they briefly detained him on Sunday, but he fled. It is unclear whether this is the same man from the first incident. The police want you to call immediately if you see this man and say: do not approach him. They also want to hear from anyone who can identify him. Call UVM Police at 802-656-3473.

Police are asking the public for help identifying a suspicious man seen on the UVM campus... — Police are asking the public for help identifying a suspicious man seen on the UVM campus after an attack last week.(Courtesy of UVM Police)

Following a request for comment last week, Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad said Tuesday that the report came in as a simple assault and that the possible sexual element had not been confirmed. He says officers were never able to contact the alleged victim. Murad added that it is now a UVM matter and that BPD is not helping.

UVM police declined to comment on the six-day delay in reporting the incident.

Click here for resources on sexual violence awareness.