Two people were killed in shootings Sunday. Here's what you need to know

Two people died from gunshot wounds during separate shootings that police believe may be related in Burlington and South Burlington on Sunday evening.

Burlington police and fire departments responded to the Lake Champlain Apartments at 185 Pine Street after receiving multiple calls around 8:15 p.m. about a seriously injured victim. Upon arrival to the apartment owned by the Burlington Housing Authority, the crews found Sheikhnoor Osman deceased. The 40-year-old's identity was confirmed by Jon Murad, Burlington's acting chief of police, during a press conference Monday.

Osman had previously been a victim of a gunfire incident in City Hall Park on May 23 when he was struck in the head and reportedly returned fire in self-defense. Officers do not believe the May incident and the one that resulted in his death were related.

Crime-scene technicians and detectives were on the scene investigating Sunday night. The department had assistance from the University of Vermont and South Burlington police departments, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Chittenden County Gun Violence Task Force.

This was the fourth homicide in Burlington this year and the 25th gunfire incident.

South Burlington incident

A few hours later around 11:06 p.m., South Burlington police were called to 1272 Williston Road, the address of the Swiss Host Motel & Village, for reported gunfire. Brian K. Billings, 37, was pronounced dead at the scene by South Burlington Fire and Rescue.

The Vermont State Police Crime Scene Search Team and South Burlington Police Department detectives were investigating the homicide and coordinating with the Burlington Police Department and the ATF.

Police said a witness at the scene identified the suspected shooter as Denroy Dasent, 52.

Pursuit and arrest in Burlington

Burlington police told officers to be on the lookout for Dasent's gold SUV. Around 11:34 p.m. the vehicle was spotted driving past the first crime scene in Burlington, Murad said. Lt. Mike Henry pursued the suspect at a distance. At one point the suspect, realizing he was being followed, stopped and exited the car with his hands up, Murad said. Henry put on his lights and stopped and exited his vehicle and at gunpoint told Dasent to get on the ground, Murad said. Dasent yelled back that he would not, according to police, and got back in his vehicle and drove off.

Henry followed the vehicle through downtown for about a minute in a pursuit with speeds more than 60 miles per hour, Murad said. Ultimately, the suspect's vehicle ended at the Perkins Pier waterfront at the Spot on the Dock restaurant where he fled the vehicle, which was still in drive. The vehicle collided with a short wall at low speed.

Dasent yelled that he would not comply and that officers would have to shoot him, according to reports by the police department. The officers attempted to use a taser, which failed, according to Murad. Officers fired non-lethal bean bag round bullets at the suspect and after striking him twice took him into custody at 11:57 p.m., Murad said.

The takedown is considered a use of force against a person of color and was reported as such, according to Murad. Dasent pleaded not guilty at an arraigment Monday and is being held without bail at the Northwest Correctional Facility.

Murad praised the coordination of both communities and the other public safety groups who mobilized for the investigation and the way Henry ultimately apprehended the suspect. Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said the city continues to place a priority on ending the spike in gun violence from the past two years, but especially in 2022. "Despite our efforts to expand resources in downtown, it's clear we need to do more until the current climate improves." he said. "We are not used to this level of violence in Vermont and we should never get used to it."

Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Burlington, South Burlington shootings leave two people dead