BURLINGTON — Police and federal agents arrested a man on a charge of unlawful firearm possession after investigators determined he had a rifle in violation of federal law.
Malcolm Tanner, 52, was homeless and had been camping on the edge of the Old North End, according to authorities. He had come to the attention of police and residents for carrying a rifle slung over his shoulder while he rode his bicycle around the city.
Following up on residents’ concerns, police found that Tanner kept ammunition for the rifle in his camp, and they became increasingly concerned about Tanner’s mental health, according to Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo.
Although open or concealed carry of a loaded firearm is legal in Vermont, police asked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine whether Tanner was allowed to possess a gun under federal law.
That investigation revealed Tanner has felony convictions in other states that made it illegal for him to own a firearm, del Pozo said, without providing further detail. Tanner was arrested Wednesday morning.
In a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, prosecutors accuse Tanner of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Tanner made his initial appearance before a federal judge Wednesday. He is being held at Northwest State Correctional Facility. A detention hearing for Tanner is scheduled for Friday.
“The Burlington police are grateful for the work of the ATF in this case,” del Pozo said in a statement. “Without their in-depth investigation into Tanner’s ability to possess firearms under federal law, it would have been substantially more difficult to come to know whether or not Tanner’s conduct was lawful.”
