A Burlington police officer who shot at a vehicle in the city’s Old North End last August has been cited with two counts of reckless engagement.
Patrol cop Jeffrey Baur is scheduled to appear in Chittenden Superior Court on Friday morning to answer to the charges.
Baur was responding to a report of a man and woman arguing near North Prospect Street and Colonial Square in the early morning hours of August 10, 2025, when he found a vehicle that was reportedly involved in the incident. He then fired his gun toward the vehicle, according to state police, which investigated the shooting. No one was injured.
The Vermont Attorney General’s Office reviewed the state police investigation and directed troopers to cite Baur. He reported to the Williston State Police barracks on Thursday for processing.
It remains unclear what prompted Baur to open fire. Police say further details about the incident will be made public once he is arraigned.
The Burlington Police Officers’ Association expressed “unwavering support” for Baur immediately after the shooting, writing in a statement at the time that the incident was reflective of circumstances police officers find themselves in “all too frequently.”
“Our officers responded to an in-progress, dynamic and volatile situation which placed all, including our members, in immediately unknown and dangerous circumstances,” the statement said.
The union did not immediately respond to a request for comment om Thursday evening.
Baur, who joined the Burlington department in 2019, left for other employment, then returned in 2022. A year later, he was placed on paid leave after he was caught driving nearly 100 miles per hour on a motorcycle while off duty. In June 2024, he pleaded guilty to negligent operation and agreed to pay nearly $500 in fines and court charges.
Baur was again placed on paid leave following the August shooting incident and was later moved to an “administrative duty role,” interim chief Shawn Burke told Seven Days on Thursday.
“He will now transition to paid administrative leave as the criminal case proceeds,” Burke said in an email.
