Burlington police are calling attention to a rash of reported violent crimes in recent weeks involving large groups of people, including some juveniles.

Police initially put out a press release late on the afternoon of Aug. 23 reporting multiple crimes, beginning the document by stating, “Public Safety is a shared responsibility.” The department then asked for the public’s assistance in providing information about “several violent crimes that have taken place” in recent weeks. 

“These crimes have been associated with large groups of suspects and perpetrators, some of whom have been identified as juveniles,” the release stated.

Since the issuing of that release Burlington police have reported additional violent crimes involving large groups.

In the latest incident, at around 4:15 a.m. Monday, the department received a report of an assault that took place on College Street about a half hour earlier, police reported in another release. 

An investigation, the release stated, revealed the victim was downtown when he was approached by a group of about a dozen people, “some are possibly juveniles,” and a verbal argument took place. 

“The group began to walk towards the victim and struck the victim multiple times,” the release stated.  

“At one point during the assault, five individuals pushed the victim to the ground and repeatedly kicked the victim while he was defenseless,” according to the release. “The victim was able to run and get away.”

Later, according to the release, the injured person was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center emergency department for treatment. 

Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad did not return messages Wednesday seeking comment.

Many of the people involved in the roughly half a dozen incidents reported by police in recent weeks have been seen in videos carrying firearms, police said. In one instance, a juvenile from New York was shot in the torso on Aug. 11 at the Andy A_Dog Skatepark on the Burlington waterfront.

The recent spate of violent crimes involving large groups in Burlington adds to the public safety concerns in the city following an unrelated fatal shooting outside a bar on Church Street on Aug. 24. 

Burlington Police have released “select video footage” of the people they are seeking help in identifying in connection with the reported assaults. The video clip runs more than four minutes and captures graphic scenes of people being kicked and punched, with most of the activity in close proximity to City Hall.