By Kolby LaMarhce

A Burlington man pleaded not guilty today in Vermont Superior Court to charges stemming from a shooting in the Church Street Marketplace area early Sunday morning, as police continue to investigate a second gunfire incident that occurred nearby about 30 minutes later, court records show.

Alex Ewanchyna, 21, faces counts of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment after authorities say he fired a single shot at a group of people near the intersection of Church and Main Streets around 12:20 a.m. 

No one was struck in that incident. Officers on foot patrol in the marketplace heard the gunfire, spotted Ewanchyna running north on Church Street with a firearm, and apprehended him quickly.

He is being held without bail pending further proceedings. Court officials directed police to lodge him following the initial appearance.

The arrest comes as the city grapples with questions about public safety in its downtown core, even as Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak has highlighted signs of recovery and momentum in recent weeks. 

Just last month, during a June 22 press conference outside Homeport on Church Street, the mayor declared “Burlington is back,” citing renewed energy, strong summer programming, business activity, and progress on community safety initiatives.

The mayor pointed to events like Downtown Jazz, infrastructure projects such as the Great Streets Main Street initiative, housing efforts, and a community safety approach combining policing with outreach and behavioral health services under Interim Police Chief Shawn Burke. Speakers at the event, including Burke, emphasized collaboration and visible progress in the downtown area.

Sunday’s incidents, however, have shown the challenges that remain in maintaining that momentum amid occasional violence.

In the second shooting, reported around 12:45 a.m., a man arrived at the University of Vermont Medical Center with a gunshot wound to his foot. 

He told investigators he was walking on Center Street when he encountered someone who shot him. Police later recovered a firearm and ballistic evidence from the vehicle that transported him to the hospital. Evidence suggests the shooting may have occurred inside the vehicle rather than on the street, according to authorities.

Burlington police are examining whether the two shootings are connected. No arrests have been reported in the second case. Detectives have asked anyone with information to contact Detective Randy Webster at (802) 540-2145.

The quick response in the first incident drew on foot patrols in the busy Church Street area, a visible presence the city has emphasized as part of its safety strategy. Mutual aid from other law enforcement agencies supported the response to both events.

Ewanchyna’s arrest also brings renewed attention to his prior involvement in a 2023 stabbing. In January 2024, at age 19, he was arrested in connection with an attempted homicide after a fight on the 300 block of Ethan Allen Parkway. 

A victim was stabbed in the upper chest during that incident and treated at UVM Medical Center. Details on the resolution of that case were limited, with indications it may have been handled in Family Court due to his age at the time as a youthful offender.

Police have not disclosed specifics about the firearms recovered in the Sunday incidents.

For now, Ewanchyna’s case moves forward in court, while the second shooting remains active. Residents and visitors are urged to remain aware of their surroundings in the Church Street and adjacent areas, particularly at night.