WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Manhunt for Elderly Shooting Suspect

Manhunt for Elderly Shooting Suspect

West Windsor, Vermont - August 18, 2009

A helicopter buzzed the wooded hills of West Windsor looking for 77-year-old William Burch.

Peter Mittenthal, who lives near the search area, said, "I am surprised, yes!"

Police say Monday night, Burch got into an argument with his neighbor, an off-duty game warden. Burch allegedly blocked the man's driveway before firing his gun, first at the warden's house, then at the warden himself. Mittenthal said of the shots, "It's the same thing we hear during hunting season: that kind of gunshot, echo, reverberation."

Police launched a search for the alleged shooter, even lobbing gas canisters into his home, but he apparently wasn't there. Police say Burch had ridden his ATV into the woods. They worried Burch was armed and dangerous, so wore protective vests and had weapons of their own. After 14 hours, game wardens found the elderly man.

Captain Ray Keefe of the Vermont State Police said, "I had a brief conversation with him, and he was in good spirits."

Burch was arrested without incident. Police said this fight was just the latest in a series of disputes. Keefe added, "In interviews with neighbors and other family members it appears in the past few weeks this individual has been spiraling and we're glad the resolution occurred the way it did."

William Burch apparently fell during the night and suffered minor injuries. He was treated at the Mount Ascutney Hospital and will be charged with aggravated assault.

Another concern for law enforcement was the extreme heat, with so many teams out in the sun working for hours. Keefe said, "It's a testament, I think, to the team's fitness and abilities."

They drank plenty of water to stay hydrated in their heavy gear, well aware they can't choose when their services are needed. Police broke down their roadblocks and reopened the rural street, which was then quiet again.

Jack Thurston - WCAX News