Police in Burlington, Vermont, apologize to high school students after surprise shooting

CNN
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Police in Burlington, Vermont, have apologized to high school students who were disturbed by a mock robbery demonstration that included a mock shooting that drew criticism from parents and local authorities.

About 20 students from Burlington High School’s Year End Studies (YES) forensics class went on a field trip to the police station on Wednesday. School officials knew a crime reenactment would be taking place there, school district spokesman Russ Elek said in a statement to VTDigger.

However, school officials were “not aware that the presentation would take place without warning,” Elek said.

During the visit, three Burlington Police Department officers simulated a robbery that did not target students or faculty, the department said in a news release. Police said they spoke with school staff last week. month about the details of the demonstration, “including the statement that the training incident would involve ‘the use of toy guns in a mock shooting.'”

Police said they asked school staff if the demonstration was appropriate for the group of students. “It’s as realistic as it gets and certainly exactly the type of thing we deal with most often,” she said.

“The YES program staff responded, ‘I think these students will do well with this simulation. We will inform the parents and students,'” the police press release said.

But in an email to students’ families after the incident, school officials wrote that the simulation was “terrifying for many students and may have left some confused and afraid as a result,” VTDigger reported.

A representative for Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak also told CNN that parents and students were angry after the demonstration.

Burlington police said they “apologize to all students in attendance who were upset by the portion of the presentation that dealt with the specific scenario and crime scene.”

CNN has reached out to the Burlington School District for comment.

Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak said in a statement to CNN that she apologized “for the harm and suffering this incident has caused to the students of Burlington High School – students who tragically grew up in a society where gun violence, including in schools, has become commonplace.”

The mayor expressed hope that the school district and police would “take responsibility for the damage caused and think about how this could have been handled differently and how this would not happen again in the future.”

The police department said it will meet with students and staff on Friday to discuss the presentation and its implications.

“We hope this can be a reflective growth opportunity for all parties,” the department said.

CNN’s Elizabeth Wolfe contributed to this report.