2 in critical condition following St. Johnsbury shooting

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (WCAX) - “What if the bullet had gone through their window? You know, that kind of stuff does happen,” said St. Jonsbury resident Jodine Meyers.

Jodine Meyers lives on 57 Harrison Avenue. The same street where a shooting happened in St. Johnsbury Friday night.

Vermont state police say the shooting happened in this apartment building just after nine pm.

A neighbor called the police claiming to hear gunshots coming from the house. When police arrived they found two men that had been shot and wounded.

Meyers lives two doors down from 57 Harrison avenue and when she heard about the shooting. It came as a shock.

“I am feeling at a loss for words. But here we are, there’s a house in between our house. It’s scary, thinking of, you know I have children,” explained Meyers

Police say the shooting happened in apartment three. Both men were transported to Dartmouth in critical but stable condition.

Officers say through their initial investigation they believe that three unknown men went into the apartment and began shooting at the people who lived there. The shooters then left the apartment possibly in a black SUV.

Police believe this was a targeted incident, but don’t know what triggered the shooting.

and with more small towns in Vermont experiencing this kind of crime. Investigators are concerned.

“There is certainly a degree of violence over the past few years in St. Johnsbury and a lot of rural towns as well. As you’ve seen we have detectives in and out here. We’ve got some uniform troopers holding scenes,” said Vermont State Police, Major Dan Trudeau.

The Vermont State Police’s field force and crime scene search team, and St. Johnsbury police department examined the area and talked to neighbors all day Saturday.

Meyers says this area is no stranger to criminal activity.

“The house on the other side of us, they’re renovating. People went in and stole all the tools. We had a homeless lady squatting in the house behind you, and felt really bad about that,” said Meyers.

Police say at this stage in the investigation, their main focus is gathering evidence and witnesses.

The Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation is now leading the shooting investigation with assistance from both the VSP Field Force and Crime Scene Search Team as well as the St. Johnsbury Police Department.

Anyone who might have information that could assist investigators in this case is asked to call the Vermont State Police in St. Johnsbury. Tips also may be submitted anonymously online at http://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit

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