By BDN staff

A man was arrested Friday night after allegedly threatening a person with a knife during a shoplifting incident at City Market and later resisting arrest, police said.

According to the Burlington Police Department, officers were called to the downtown grocery store around 8:31 p.m. on October 10 for a report of a theft in progress. The suspect reportedly pulled a knife and threatened to stab the caller when confronted about the alleged theft.

When officers arrived, they reviewed store surveillance footage and broadcast a description of the suspect to nearby units. A short time later, police located the suspect, identified as Ezra Dillon, 34, across the street from City Market.

Police said Dillon was visibly armed with a knife in his waistband and refused commands to surrender. He fled on foot, leading officers on a chase before being caught. Dillon allegedly resisted arrest, forcing officers to use physical force to detain him.

Two knives were found on Dillon, and police said he continued to be combative after his arrest, spitting on two officers. He was taken into custody and lodged at the Northwest Correctional Facility on $5,000 bail.

Dillon faces charges of assault and robbery, resisting arrest, and two counts of assault on a protected professional (assault with bodily fluids). Police noted that Dillon has a recent conviction for assault and robbery with a weapon stemming from a 2023 incident.