King Street Center briefly on lockdown

The St. Paul/King streets neighborhood of Burlington was in turmoil Thursday afternoon after a man with more than 100 police encounters refused to leave a local store, threw the cash register to the floor, and then barricaded himself with a hammer inside an apartment.

Burlington police say that Thursday, February 6, during the noon hour, dispatchers with the Burlington Police Department were informed that a man had entered Kerry’s Kwik Stop on Saint Paul Street and caused a disturbance. 

An employee told police that Ibrahim Garelnabi, 31, had been trespassed from the store the previous day. When employees informed him of this, he threw the cash register to the ground, causing an estimated $1,300 in damage.

The employee used pepper spray against Garelnabi, who then left the store. A second officer canvassing the area located Garelnabi and attempted to make contact, at which time Garelnabi fled again and entered an apartment on King Street between Saint Paul Street and Pine Street.

Officers learned that Garelnabi had two active arrest warrants, the first for Impeding, Disorderly Conduct, and Careless and Negligent Operation, and carrying $1,000 bail, and the second for Lewd and Lascivious Conduct, which was listed as a “cite and release.” These were in addition to the new alleged crime of felony Unlawful Mischief.

Other residents of the apartment told police Garelnabi had barricaded himself in a bedroom and was armed with a hammer. Officers began negotiating with Garelnabi in an effort to obtain a peaceful surrender. The nearby King Street Center was temporarily put on lockdown but the lockdown was lifted as officers stabilized the scene within the apartment. Officers took the additional, precautionary step of seeking a search warrant for the premises out of an abundance of compliance. That warrant was granted by the court.

Members of the BPD, including trained negotiators from its Crisis Negotiation Unit, spoke or attempted to speak with Garelnabi for more than four hours. During this time members of the BPD’s Emergency Services Unit prepared to take dynamic action if the negotiation failed or reached impasse. At about 5:40 PM, Garelnabi surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody. There were no injuries to any party.

Garelnabi has a criminal history that includes more than 100 police encounters, six failures to appear, and two misdemeanor charges. He is expected to be transported to the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans.

Garelnabi’s Linked In page states that he attended BHS 208-2012 and works in the Burlington area as a contractor and tradesman.

Convicted felon flees police after alleged purse theft, pepper spray assault – A five-time convicted felon is being held without bail after being arrested for assault by Burlington police.

On February 5 at about 9:20 pm, officers with the Burlington Police Department responded to South Winooski Avenue for a report that an individual was assaulted.

Investigation revealed Shelly Sanders, 41, of Burlington, was suspected of approaching an individual with a knife and threatening them. Sanders reportedly had a verbal and physical altercation and sprayed the reported victim with mace while attempting to steal their purse. 

Dispatch confirmed an active arrest warrant for Sanders with $200 bail from a previous incident. Officers began canvassing the area. The victim was evaluated by the Burlington Fire Department and was transported to the hospital.

About 25 minutes after the initial dispatch, an officer saw Sanders on North Winooski Avenue. Sanders immediately fled on foot as the officer ordered Sanders to stop multiple times. After a short foot pursuit, the officer apprehended Sanders. Sanders was taken into custody for the arrest warrant and additional charges of first-degree aggravated domestic assault, assault and robbery, and impeding public officers.

Sanders’ criminal history includes 13 failures to appear, 5 convictions for charges related to violation of court orders or conditions, 5 felony convictions, 16 misdemeanor convictions, and 5 convictions from multiple charges involving assaults, including some weapons.

Sanders was held without bail and lodged at Northwest State Correctional Facility.

Grant Street assault – On February 5, at about 6 PM, Burlington police responded to the area of Grant Street for a report of an individual yelling for help during an aggravated assault by (police say) Victor Allen, 53, of Burlington. 

A check of Allen’s criminal record shows 2 failures to appear and 3 felony convictions. Allen was lodged at Northwest State Correctional Facility on $5,000 bail.