BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Police arrested 48-year-old John Van Hazinga of Burlington, former owner of the Ridin’ High skate shop, Sunday after they say he used a victim’s own firearm to assault him at Battery Park.
Officers were dispatched to Battery Park at approximately 10:30 a.m. for a reported assault. Dispatch said that one of the men involved was reportedly in possession of a firearm.
Later, both subjects were in the lobby of the Burlington Police Department, and Van Hazinga was observed holding a firearm.
An officer gave verbal commands for Van Hazinga to drop the firearm, but a struggle then led to the officer using a pepper spray.
The investigation determined that the incident began as a verbal argument inside the band shell at Battery Park. Witnesses reported that Van Hazinga advanced toward the victim in an aggressive manner and made a derogatory statement about the victim.
The male victim attempted to retrieve a firearm from a backpack, at which point Van Hazinga took possession of it and began striking him in the head multiple times, causing him to fall to the ground.
Witnesses say Van Hazinga struck the victim again in the head with the firearm. The Burlington Fire Department responded to the scene and transported the victim to the hospital for medical evaluation for a head injury.
Vanhazinga was lodged on $1,000 bail and will appear in court Monday at 10:30 a.m.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Burlington Police Department at (802) 658-2704.
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