Vermont

Wheelock, Vt. shooting death determined to be homicide; victim ID'd

No arrests have been made, state police said

NECN

The man killed in a Wheelock, Vermont, shooting on Monday has been identified by state troopers, who have now characterized the incident as a homicide.

Police said they received an emergency call around 6:30 a.m. Monday from a woman who said a man had been shot at a property on Route 16 in Wheelock. Troopers responded, along with rescue crews from Glover and Hardwick. The victim was located and pronounced dead at the scene.

The man killed has been identified as Gunnar Watson, 27, who lived in the home where the shooting happened, Vermont State Police said. An autopsy was done on Tuesday, when the Chief Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the torso.

An investigation is still ongoing. Authorities have spoken with witnesses and people who live in the area.

No arrests have been made and no one is in custody at this time.

State troopers said that there was no evidence suggesting this shooting was related to the death investigations in Newport Town and Castleton.

Anyone with information that could assist investigators is asked to call Vermont State Police at 802-748-3111. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit. Police are also looking for people in the area who have cameras on their property.

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