An off-duty Vermont police sergeant getting ready to start his shift was attacked by a man with a meat cleaver in the lobby of his own police department this week.
Burlington police said the incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when the off-duty sergeant arrived for work at the Burlington Police Department on North Avenue. He was in plain clothes, as he had not started working yet, when he entered the lobby.
When the sergeant entered the lobby, he reportedly saw a man stading in the lobby and recognized him from prior police interactions. WIthout comment, the man, identified by police as 34-year-old Eric Jones, of Burlington, held up a meat cleaver, pointed it toward the sergeant and raised it over his head.
A struggle ensued, and the sergeant was eventually able to remove the meat cleaver from Jones’ hand, police said. But Jones removed a second weapon — a kitchen knife — from his coat pocket and attempted to stab the sergeant in the stomach. The sergeant was able to wrest the second weapon from Jones as well, and threw both weapons outside the lobby into the parking lot as he continued to struggle with Jones.
Ultimately, the sergeant was able to separate himself from Jones, leave the lobby with Jones trapped inside, and call for assistance. Uniformed, on-duty Burlington police officers arrived soon after and took Jones into custody.
Jones, who has prior misdemeanor and assault charges, is now facing a charge of aggravated assault in connection with Tuesday’s incident. No details were released on when he might appear in court.
The off-duty sergeant was not injured in the conflict.
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