Burlington, VT – Burlington Police say they responded to a report about a man in City Hall Park who was accused of threatening people with a large machete.
Police say they encountered the man exiting the public toilet in the park with the machete in hand. Officers say the man referred to himself as “the son of God” and said that the machete was the “blade of Jesus.”
Police say officers knew the man from several recent interactions, they were able to negotiate with the man to hand over the machete along with a compound bow and arrow he carried. Police confiscated the weapons, but did not make an arrest because the person who made the complaint was no longer in the area.
Officials from Howard Center were called and said they assessed the man earlier in the day and did not believe him to be a threat.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Burlington Police Department at (802) 658-2704.
