A man armed with a machete assaulted an elderly volunteer worker at a homeless shelter in Shelburne, Vt., Friday morning, according to local police. 32-year-old Abukar Ibrahim attacked a 73-year-old Meals on Wheels volunteer while she was delivering food to Harbor Place, which provides temporary emergency housing to those in need. While in the office, the female victim reportedly saw Ibrahim vandalizing her car. When she confronted him and tried to intervene, the man became violent, assaulting her with a machete, according to police.
The woman was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center with multiple injuries, including a “significant leg wound.” She received treatment and was later released.
In the wake of the attack, Ibrahim, who police identified as the assailant, barricaded himself in a room for two and a half hours. He supposedly taunted police officers from inside the room before deciding to come out and surrender. The attacker was sent to the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility on charges of attempted murder.
[While the photo above is a photo of the accused, it has not been confirmed that the individual is an immigrant or refugee]
Ibrahim was staying at Harbor Place at the time of the incident.
Ibrahim is expected to be arraigned on Monday.