BY MAT CLOUSER
BRANDON — The Brandon Police Department (BPD) was called to the Park Village Apartments at 262 Mulcahy Drive around 9 p.m. on Monday night due to a report of a man shooting a small-caliber firearm out of his apartment window—nearly striking two women in a nearby parking lot.
According to a press release issued by BPD, eyewitness testimony aided BPD’s ability to ascertain that a man—later identified as 78-year-old Kenneth Dukette—was alleged to have fired at least four shots. Police also claim to have observed four bullet holes in a first-floor apartment window facing outwards towards the parking lot.
Subsequently, BPD, along with the Pittsford Police Department and the Vermont State Police, were able to establish a perimeter around the building in question and evacuate many of the building’s residents, at which time the press release describes “an hour-and-a-half standoff” before officers were able to convince Mr. Dukette to surrender peacefully. Mr. Dukette was said to have been taken into custody “without incident.”
According to BPD’s press release, it was determined by BPD’s investigating officers that Mr. Dukette “was having a mental health crisis,” and he was later transported to the Rutland Regional Medical Center for a mental health evaluation.
Upon further investigation of Mr. Dukette’s residence, BPD claims to have seized multiple weapons for evidence, including rifles and a semi-automatic handgun.
BPD Chief David Kachajian said the firearms in question were all legally owned by Mr. Dukette, and it was “very obvious” in their interactions with Dukette that he was having some type of mental health problem, describing him as “speaking in gibberish.”
Kachajian also claimed that Mr. Dukette’s family, including someone acting as power of attorney, corroborated Dukette’s mental state and took it upon themselves to remove all firearms from the residence that were not seized as evidence.
Mr. Dukette is scheduled to be arraigned in the Rutland County Superior Court-Criminal Division on November 14, 2022, at 11 a.m. for two counts of reckless endangerment. Police say additional charges may follow pending further investigation, and it is believed that the court will seek to revoke Mr. Dukette’s ability to possess firearms moving forward.
“It’s just a miracle that no one was hurt,” said Kachajian.
