Elizabeth Murray

Free Press Staff Writer

Morristown police said late Wednesday that a suspect was in custody in connection with a shooting at the Cumberland Farms in Morrisville earlier in the day.

The shooting injured one person, prompted schools to be secured and led to the cancellation of after-school activities.

Morristown police released this statement at about 9:20 p.m.: "At this time Christopher Burnor has been apprehended and is currently being processed (on charges of) first degree attempted murder. We would like to thank the public for all of their assistance in this matter."

He was apprehended on Plot Road near the Johnson-Waterville town line by Morristown officers without incident, police said.

Earlier, Burnor, 39, of Waterville, was believed to be armed and driving a 1994 Honda Civic with the Vermont registration GFT292, said Morristown Police Chief Richard Keith at 3:30 p.m.

The shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon in the Cumberland Farms parking lot.

Police described Burnor as 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie.

The shooting injured Thomas Zapantis, 32, of Johnson. Police said he was stable at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington. A Fletcher Allen Health Care spokeswoman said that Zapantis was being evaluated by hospital personnel at about 4:30 p.m.

Law enforcement was summoned to reports of a shooting with an injury, Lt. Jim Whitcomb of the Vermont State Police said earlier. Multiple state troopers raced to the scene.

Whitcomb told the Burlington Free Press that Morristown police were taking the lead in the investigation, while the state police responded as back-up.

Lamoille South Supervisory Union Superintendent Tracy Wrend said schools had been in "secure mode" after district officials learned of the incident, meaning that exterior doors were locked, all students were inside the buildings, and blinds were drawn, but learning continued.

A secretary at the Peoples Academy said around 2 p.m. that the school had been secured for an hour.

"We've been in touch with local law enforcement periodically throughout the afternoon," Wrend said at 2:45 p.m. "They've assured us that it's been safe and under control throughout the afternoon, but out of an excess of caution we did go into secure mode. They assured us that it was fine for students to go home, we are dismissing as usual right now."

After-school activities have been canceled for the afternoon, Wrend said. She said she expects the school day to go back to normal tomorrow, and parents will be notified if anything changes.

"I have no official knowledge from the emergency responders about the incident," Wrend said. "We had heard concerns that there had been an incident in the village. ... The only official word I have is that it is safe for kids to go home."

A spokesperson for the Cumberland Farms corporate office declined comment and referred all questions to local law enforcement.

The Morristown Police Department continues to investigate the incident with the assistance of detectives from the Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation and deputies from the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department.

Contact Elizabeth Murray at 651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LizMurraySMC.