BURLINGTON, Vt. - Oscar Delgado, 39, is now facing charges after allegedly firing a stolen gun in downtown Burlington on Friday. Delgado claims he stole the gun to settle a drug debt.
During the incident, which occurred around 2:40 p.m. near the intersection of St. Paul and King streets, a witness reported a confrontation with Delgado. According to the witness, Delgado brandished the gun and fired at him, narrowly avoiding injury.
Upon his arrest, Delgado admitted to discharging the weapon, asserting it was accidental. He confessed to stealing the gun with the intention of using it to repay a drug debt but stated that the discharge was unintentional.
As police were en route, Delgado fled, trespassing on Flynn Theater property. Later, he attempted to discard his clothing by flushing it down a toilet at the El Gato restaurant on lower Church Street.
According to court documents, the gun eventually returned to the drug dealer before authorities could apprehend Delgado.
Delgado's history includes 150 police interactions in Vermont since 2011, involving various felony convictions and sex crimes. He is currently in custody.