Burlington Vermont Police Face Backlash for Mock Shooting Demonstration at Police Station with High School Students
Jun 11, 10:00 AM
The Burlington Police Department is facing severe criticism for staging a controversial mock shooting demonstration that left students at Burlington High School terrified and scrambling for cover. The event, held on Wednesday as part of the school's Year End Studies (YES) program, was intended to illustrate the "unreliability of witness statements," but the lack of advance warning caused panic among the students.
The demonstration involved three police personnel simulating a robbery scenario using fake firearms at the police station. Despite assurances that the scenario was not directed at students or faculty, the absence of prior notification led students to believe they were in real danger, with some diving to the floor and texting their loved ones "goodbye" and "I love you."
About 20 students from a forensics class attended the field trip, which school officials knew would include a crime reenactment. However, as school district spokesperson Russ Elek explained to VTDigger, “school officials didn’t realize the presentation would happen without warning.”
During the visit, students were listening to a presentation when suddenly three people entered the room screaming. “There’s like three people fighting. The fake gun, that we didn’t know was fake at the time, got pulled out and shot what I think were blanks. They left shells. And it was still like loud,” said one 15-year-old student, who wished to remain anonymous. “Me and almost the whole class dove to the floor to hide under the tables because we didn’t know what was going on.”
The email from school officials to families confirmed, “While the gun was fake, the reenactment involved screaming and fake gun shot sounds.”
The police department stated they had communicated with school staff about the demonstration's details, including the use of fake firearms, but it remains unclear whether the lack of warning was part of those details. “It is about as real life as you can get, and is certainly exactly the sort of thing we deal with most frequently,” the police noted in their release.
Following the incident, school officials sent an email to parents acknowledging that the simulation “was startling for many students and may have left some feeling confused and frightened.”
Burlington School District Superintendent Tom Flanagan and Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad issued a joint statement on Friday, apologizing to the students. “It is clear to us that this week’s events resulted from a breakdown in communication between two groups trying to work together to create a meaningful experience for students,” the statement read. “Both BSD and the BPD are committed to doing a better job of clearly laying out descriptions, expectations, and agendas and seeking clarification when working together in the future. Neither of us want any repeat of anything like this moving forward.”
A sophomore student who experienced the incident described the fear among students, stating, “If these are the people quote-unquote ‘protecting’ us, why did they make such a stupid decision without really thinking… Especially with school shootings and stuff, we’re all already on edge.”
A grandparent of one of the students expressed their distress to CNN, explaining that their grandchild “froze up” during the demonstration. “Other kids were diving on the floor, trying to get under furniture, whatever they could do to get out of the situation,” the grandparent said.
The Burlington Police Department has since apologized, acknowledging the upset caused by the scenario. Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak also issued an apology, stating, “I apologize for the harm and distress this incident caused Burlington High School students – students who have tragically grown up in a society where gun violence, including in school settings, has become commonplace.”
On Friday, school officials hosted a “restorative circle” for students and teachers to discuss the incident. However, the 15-year-old student felt the police “weren’t directly holding themselves accountable” during the meeting.
This incident underscores the ongoing debate about the appropriateness of realistic drills in schools and their impact on student mental health. While intended to educate, such exercises can have unintended and distressing consequences, as seen in Burlington..
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The demonstration involved three police personnel simulating a robbery scenario using fake firearms at the police station. Despite assurances that the scenario was not directed at students or faculty, the absence of prior notification led students to believe they were in real danger, with some diving to the floor and texting their loved ones "goodbye" and "I love you."
About 20 students from a forensics class attended the field trip, which school officials knew would include a crime reenactment. However, as school district spokesperson Russ Elek explained to VTDigger, “school officials didn’t realize the presentation would happen without warning.”
During the visit, students were listening to a presentation when suddenly three people entered the room screaming. “There’s like three people fighting. The fake gun, that we didn’t know was fake at the time, got pulled out and shot what I think were blanks. They left shells. And it was still like loud,” said one 15-year-old student, who wished to remain anonymous. “Me and almost the whole class dove to the floor to hide under the tables because we didn’t know what was going on.”
The email from school officials to families confirmed, “While the gun was fake, the reenactment involved screaming and fake gun shot sounds.”
The police department stated they had communicated with school staff about the demonstration's details, including the use of fake firearms, but it remains unclear whether the lack of warning was part of those details. “It is about as real life as you can get, and is certainly exactly the sort of thing we deal with most frequently,” the police noted in their release.
Following the incident, school officials sent an email to parents acknowledging that the simulation “was startling for many students and may have left some feeling confused and frightened.”
Burlington School District Superintendent Tom Flanagan and Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad issued a joint statement on Friday, apologizing to the students. “It is clear to us that this week’s events resulted from a breakdown in communication between two groups trying to work together to create a meaningful experience for students,” the statement read. “Both BSD and the BPD are committed to doing a better job of clearly laying out descriptions, expectations, and agendas and seeking clarification when working together in the future. Neither of us want any repeat of anything like this moving forward.”
A sophomore student who experienced the incident described the fear among students, stating, “If these are the people quote-unquote ‘protecting’ us, why did they make such a stupid decision without really thinking… Especially with school shootings and stuff, we’re all already on edge.”
A grandparent of one of the students expressed their distress to CNN, explaining that their grandchild “froze up” during the demonstration. “Other kids were diving on the floor, trying to get under furniture, whatever they could do to get out of the situation,” the grandparent said.
The Burlington Police Department has since apologized, acknowledging the upset caused by the scenario. Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak also issued an apology, stating, “I apologize for the harm and distress this incident caused Burlington High School students – students who have tragically grown up in a society where gun violence, including in school settings, has become commonplace.”
On Friday, school officials hosted a “restorative circle” for students and teachers to discuss the incident. However, the 15-year-old student felt the police “weren’t directly holding themselves accountable” during the meeting.
This incident underscores the ongoing debate about the appropriateness of realistic drills in schools and their impact on student mental health. While intended to educate, such exercises can have unintended and distressing consequences, as seen in Burlington..
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Karen Read Trial, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com