Livestream footage, cameras lead to arrest after early‑morning attack
City of Burlington investigators say images captured on a YouTube livestream of Church Street, along with surveillance camera footage, led them to identify and arrest a man accused of stabbing a woman in the downtown area earlier this month.
The incident began Oct. 3 at about 4:45 a.m., when officers responded to reports of a woman screaming for help near Pearl and Clarke streets, according to an affidavit released by the Burlington Police Department. Officers located the woman bleeding from a wound to her mid back and transported her to the University of Vermont Medical Center. Medical personnel determined the injury was consistent with a stab wound or puncture.
Police say the attack appeared to be random. The woman told investigators she had been pushed to the ground multiple times by a man she did not know while she was traveling through downtown by bicycle. She also said she had been sleeping in an alcove on Church Street and had recently lost access to a temporary residence; her backpack, including her cell phone, had been stolen prior to the encounter with the suspect.
Identification and arrest
Investigators used images from a Church Street livestream and surveillance camera footage to develop a suspect image. On Oct. 9, an officer saw a man in City Hall Park who matched that image and detained him. Detectives later made a positive identification from the video stills and arrested the man, identified in court records as Amin Umar Jr., 34, of Philadelphia.
Police say Umar initially offered explanations when approached, telling officers he had been “out of town,” then saying he needed to leave for a meeting and later that he needed to use the restroom. After detectives confirmed his identity from the images, he was taken into custody. As officers transported him to police headquarters, they called the Burlington Fire Department for an ambulance and placed him in leg shackles before he was brought to the hospital; the affidavit does not note the reason for medical care.
Charges, court action and community concerns
Umar was arraigned Oct. 14 and pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated disorderly conduct. Court records show the prosecution alleges the defendant stabbed the victim during the encounter on Oct. 3.
The use of public livestream footage in the investigation highlights the role of ubiquitous video in downtown Burlington. Church Street is a busy pedestrian corridor and a focal point for both residents and visitors; live camera feeds are often available online and are increasingly relied on by law enforcement to reconstruct incidents that happen in public spaces.
What police reported
- Date and time of attack: Oct. 3, about 4:45 a.m.
- Location: Pearl Street near Clarke Street, off Church Street downtown
- Victim: Woman with a mid‑back puncture wound; transported to UVM Medical Center
- Suspect: Amin Umar Jr., 34, of Philadelphia; arrested Oct. 9
- Charges: Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; aggravated disorderly conduct
“He had been ‘out of town,’ then said he needed to leave for a meeting, before saying he needed to use the restroom,”
— Excerpts from the affidavit describing the suspect’s remarks when first contacted by officers in City Hall Park.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct. 3 | Early‑morning attack near Pearl and Clarke streets; victim taken to UVM Medical Center |
| Oct. 9 | Officer spots and detains a man in City Hall Park who matched images from camera and livestream; detectives identify and arrest him |
| Oct. 14 | Arraignment; defendant pleads not guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated disorderly conduct |
Police described the encounter as appearing random and said the victim did not know the person who pushed and then assaulted her. The case remains subject to prosecution, and additional details may surface through court filings and public records as the matter proceeds.
For residents and visitors, the episode is a reminder of downtown safety concerns late at night and the expanding influence of publicly available camera feeds in criminal investigations. Burlington police encourage anyone with additional information or who may have witnessed the incident to contact the department.
