By Tiffany Williams –
Bridport, Vt. — Vermont State Police responded to a report of a suspicious shooting in Bridport on Saturday, July 13, 2025, that ultimately turned out to be an isolated incident involving the shooting of a squirrel.
At approximately 1:03 p.m., troopers from the New Haven Barracks, along with a Vermont Fish & Wildlife game warden and officers from the Vergennes Police Department, were dispatched to the area of Basin Harbor Road after receiving reports of a man walking through properties with a long gun and multiple gunshots being heard.
Responding units located a man in the area who identified himself as the individual involved. The man, later identified as Jonas Hastings, 29, told police he had shot a grey squirrel in his yard. No injuries were reported, and police determined there was no immediate threat to the public.
A separate investigation by the game warden led to Hastings being cited and released for a game violation. Authorities confirmed the incident was not criminal in nature and posed no ongoing public safety concerns.
Vermont State Police emphasized that the situation has been resolved and was determined to be an isolated event.