Smathers, who is now the director of the Rutland Free Library, said he fully supported the idea of bringing in refugees. Four officers fired at him. justified under the states self-defense rules, which consider someone One in five Vermonters is considered elderly. Louras said. There will be no criminal charges filed against four Vermont police officers who shot and killed the son of Rutlands former mayor back in October, after he led them on a chase and opened fire on the officers first. No one was injured. Three years after placing himself in the center of Rutland's refugee resettlement debate and losing his mayoral seat, Christopher Louras only regrets the refugee families who never came. Tags: Rutland, Chris Louras, police shooting, drive-by shooting, AR-15, Vermont State Police, Web Only, Image. Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. 33-year-old Christopher Louras is struck by police bullets. NECN chose not to broadcast or publish the moment to oust the incumbent mayor in March 2017. get the three families we did into Rutland. Three are from Rutland City, one was from Rutland Town. Oct 29, 2019 1 Christopher George Louras RUTLAND Christopher George Louras, died at age 33. It. "Ten years in office has tempered my style a little, and it hasn't tempered Chris," said Lauzon, adding that he would have handled the refugee situation differently. According to a press release . Final Reading: When will the legislative session wrap up? He's all over town," said Tom Huebner, president of Rutland Regional Medical Center a Rutland native who has known Louras for decades. Vermont State Police have said they are not looking for any other suspects in Nicholas Louras death at this time, though the killing has called a homicide. home/garden There is no bigger advocate for the city of Rutland." "He is very blunt. While weve appreciated the suggestions and insights, the time has come to shut them down at least temporarily. He recalls a fellow Republican telling him, "You shouldn't be supportive of the bill because those people don't vote for us.'" One lives just down the street from Louras and is in the process of buying a home. Were not like the Kool-Aid drinkers in Burlington, he said. Louras had a wife and kids by then, but the marriage broke up after the war. Other communities, large and small, rely on professional managers, hired and overseen by elected boards, to run city hall. "I think that was a fearless approach, and color Thom Lauzon a coward, but I would not have taken that approach," Lauzon said. But longtime alderman Dave Allaire, who had challenged Louras twice before and lost, harnessed anger over resettlement. Mayor Allaire voiced his full support for the men and women of the Rutland Police Department, and thanked them for their work in a high-stress and highly dangerous situation to prevent further loss of life. Rutland and Burlington are the only two Vermont cities in which an elected mayor functions as the day-to-day chief executive officer. Sign up here to get a weekly email with all of VTDigger's reporting on courts and crime. Hello, 21st Century! life or someone elses. Louras grew up three blocks from Rutland City Hall in a Greek Orthodox family with deep roots in the city. At the same time, the other side is circulating a petition with more than 500 names calling for a public vote to oppose the refugees' relocation. The fact that we shut the doors on tens of thousands of families just like them. Make a one-time, tax-deductible donation to our spring campaign by May 12. Show me the plan. Footage from a police cruisers dashboard camera, obtained Tuesday, shows a chase through a popular shopping areas parking lot in downtown Rutland on Oct. 8. David Trapeni, the author of the petition, asked Merdzanovic during the recent meeting. There will be no criminal charges filed against four Vermont police officers who shot and killed the son of Rutland's former mayor back in October, after he led them on a chase . Let's keep Rutland moving forward and build on the progress that we have made. The man killed in the officer involved shooting has been identified as Christopher Louras, 33, of Rutland. "They come with goals and dreams, and we're here to give them the tools. He was clearly struggling to contain himself. RUTLAND Police have identified the body of a man found on the edge of a road in Salisbury as Nicholas Louras, the nephew of former Rutland City Mayor Christopher Louras whose son,. Keeps a lot of information and ideas close to the vest, except for a close-knit group he has around him," said Alderman David Allaire, a longtime Louras rival, in an interview. Louras and allies insist that the supporters outnumber the opponents. "The immigration and refugee agenda is one of their more malevolent issues," Simpson said. Louras was the son of Rutlands former longtime mayor, also Like a nerdy sailor, he mixes in expressions like "gosh," "good golly" and "holy moly" with actual swear words. Burlington's Old North End is full of restaurants and shops opened by refugees. He traced it back to 2008 and 2009 during the sub-prime mortgage crisis, when out-of-state property owners began defaulting on multi-family homes in Rutland. You have permission to edit this article. Dave Allaire is Rutland's current mayor - who's related by marriage to his predecessor at city hall and to both of the Louras cousins who lost their lives - Nick and Chris. VTDigger publishes daily stories on health care. These days, however, politics are notably absent from his private sector job managing a local distribution business. "I was like, what is going on? The construction of Interstate 89 50 miles to the north contributed to the city's isolation. With Bernie Looking On, Ben & Jerry's Scoopers Announce Progress in Union Talks, 1. Police have not said how the two deaths are linked, other than the familial relationship between the two. Da Capo Publishing, Inc. We cover state elections, the Vermont Legislature, the governors office, state agencies and major political parties. ((T.J. DONOVAN / D- VT Attorney General: 7:41: we consider this matter now closed.)) At foreclosure auctions, some four-bedroom homes have sold for less than $20,000. Police said Christopher Louras shot out the window at the police. Scoopers at Ben & Jerry's in Burlington Seek to Unionize. Last week, the first two of an expected 25 Syrian refugee families arrived in Rutland, Vt., a scenic, blue-collar town of 16,000 people. WCAX News spoke with a witness who watched it all go down. for sale by owner Although the two remain close, she said, "When he makes up his mind, he goes full bore. Louras got in line. Drugs are believed to be a factor in the Louras cousins deaths, as Gov. Life is fragile, and we need to hold our loved ones tight, Allaire said at Tuesdays news conference. homes for sale The name of the man found in Salisbury will be released following notification of his family and further investigation. A non-profit organization is restoring the properties, much to the delight of neighbors. Now Louras is a general manager for Foley Distributing. Mayor Chris Louras Rutland and Burlington are the only two Vermont cities in which an elected mayor functions as the day-to-day chief executive officer. And also how aging impacts the stuff of life: marriage, loss, dating and sex. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I don't understand how the planning process works for this. Erin Mansfield is VTDiggers health care reporter. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. But at times, he has had little to say about what's gone wrong on his watch. His cousin, Nicholas Louras, 34, of Rutland, suffered gunshot wounds to his head and neck and died within seconds, his death certificate filed Tuesday stated. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. And it was. Separately, Chris Louras's mother says she and his grandmother loved her son dearly and miss him every day. Louras won by a landslide and hasn't lost a race since. Chris Louras inside the Speak Easy Cafe in Rutland, Vt. Corey Hendrickson for the Boston Globe Kilcullen steeled himself, then read it, with rising gratitude and not a little amazement. Refugees, once they legally enter the country, can live wherever they want. When no jobs appealed to him after college, Louras enlisted as a warrant officer in the U.S. Army and learned to fly twin-rotor Chinook helicopters. The city had become a defacto property manager, picking up the garbage and mowing lawns. Life can be cruel and there are many twists and turns we may never understand. health/wellness The fleeing vehicle became lodged trying to cross a set of train tracks on the edge of the large parking lot near the Amtrak train station. But I'm not at the point where I'm willing to self-reflect, especially with a microphone., As to whether he regretted the way he handled the refugee resettlement issue, he was quick to say "no. The major wouldnt say if Chris Louras was a suspect in that homicide. The former mayors late son is also suspected of killing his Chance of rain 60%.. But the 58-year-old said the pushback he got on refugees was different, fueled in part by the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the 2016 presidential campaign. Meanwhile, by all accounts, the three refugee families that did make it are doing well. Police say the younger Louras is suspected of shooting twice into the Rutland City police headquarters. Louras relationship with the board had always been contentious, and this wasnt the first time he had gone around them to get something done. He's loved by his girl friend, Lauren Stacey; mother Crystal King; sister Hannah Lamarche; father and stepmother Chris and Judy Louras; brothers Augie, Ian and Justin Louras; and grandparents Ruth and Gus Louras and Mary King. Nina Keck/VPR. I see the positive any time I walk past Hussam and Hazars house, anytime I see [their son] Mohammad and his sister Layan. After a one-time payment of $925, plus minimal language, housing and employment assistance, more than 80 percent of refugees meet the federal definition of "self-sufficient" within a year of arriving in Vermont. Louras makes $72,000 a year compared to Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger's $94,000. "I think a lot of people thought they were voting for my uncle Pete," Louras said. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, said in October. We've chosen to freeze the video before it shows 33- year-old Christopher Louras fall after getting struck by police bullets. Louras was the son of Rutland's former longtime mayor, also named Chris Louras. Police had always suspected that Christopher Louras killed his cousin. He stumbles over his words; sometimes he doesn't come up with the words he's looking for. Instead, he says "people with an R next to their name," or "guy with a D next to his name." Drugs are believed to be a factor in the Louras cousins' deaths, but the AG wouldn't discuss t. There will be no criminal charges filed against four Vermont police officers who shot and killed the son of Rutlands former mayor back in October, after he led them on a chase and opened fire on the officers first.GET THE LATEST: Download the MyNBC5 appFootage from a police cruisers dashboard camera, obtained Tuesday, shows a chase through a popular shopping areas parking lot in downtown Rutland on Oct. 8.After getting stuck on railroad tracks, the driver gets out and can be seen shooting at officers, who return fire.NBC5 chose not to broadcast or publish the moment 33-year-old Christopher Louras is struck by police bullets.Louras was the son of Rutlands former longtime mayor, also named Chris Louras. Louras privately lobbied the VRRP to choose Rutland, then spent months quietly laying the groundwork for the refugees' arrival without seeking approval from the board of alderman, or even telling most city officials what he was up to. Three are from Rutland City, one was from Rutland Town.Donovan and Kennedy said the officers actions were legally justified under the states self-defense rules, which consider someone guiltless if they hurt or kill another person while trying to protect their own life or someone elses.Both prosecutors praised police for facing a threat with bravery before anyone else was hurt.For that, I am eternally grateful to these officers and thank them for their actions, Kennedy said.The former mayors late son is also suspected of killing his own cousin, Nicholas Louras, before that shootout with police. Investigators: Man killed cousin before deadly shootout with police, Bike race participant killed in Burke Saturday, Kuster tours health facilities in Upper Valley, Businesses say I Do to busy wedding season, Former Vt. mayor's son killed in police shootout; may be linked to homicide, Police ID officers in police-involved shooting in Rutland, Police connecting dots between Salisbury homicide, Rutland shootout, No update from police Friday on deaths of Louras cousins, Louras cousins both died of gunshot wounds, Louras family speaks out after cousins killed by gunfire, Vt. attorney general: 4 officers justified in fatal Rutland shooting, Police video reveals timeline of deadly officer-involved shooting. Gov Phil Scott, speaking at his weekly press conference last Wednesday, said the deaths may be tied to drugs. now. or anything. In the first of her three part series, Nina caught up with the former mayor. Either safety track, where all the grumpy guys go; instructor pilot track, where all the prima donnas go; or maintenance, where the people who want to just work and get [stuff] done go. Incumbents are hard to beat in Vermont. We cover the states hospitals, the states psychiatric care system, the Green Mountain Care Board, insurers, state health care policy, Medicaid and Medicare. This is a whole different thing down here. But it wasnt until late 2015, when former Governor Peter Shumlin announced Vermont would open its doors to Syrian refugees, that Louras saw an opportunity to act on his idea. post your listing. racist or sexually-oriented language. I got smoked, Louras admitted the day after the election. VPRs Nina Keck wanted to see how the city and those most closely involved with the refugee debate have changed because of it. Nick Louras, 34, of Rutland, was found dead of gunshot wounds off . Their names are expected to be released Wednesday, Oct. 9. Three are from Louras, the son of former Rutland mayor Christopher Louras, died within seconds or minutes of suffering a gunshot wound to his head in the shootout, a death certificate filed Tuesday with. Threats of harming another The younger Louras, Vermonts attorney general said, was in a mental health crisis when he shot seven times at officers, as well as at the entrance of the Rutland City Police Department. ", Although Louras said the planning "maybe could have been handled a little better," he insisted that if he could do it all over again, he wouldn't change anything. improving the quality of life and addressing drug concerns in Rutland for years With Bernie Looking On, Ben & Jerry's Scoopers Announce Progress in Union Talks. Be Truthful. A constant presence at municipal meetings and other local gatherings, he doubles as the city's public relations director. Allaire's optimistic a focus on addressing substance use disorders and forming neighborhood partnerships can help strengthen his community after the encounter many here say really rattled Rutland. Tuesday the A.G. and the Rutland County State's Attorney announced they won't charge the four officers who returned fire: three from Rutland Both prosecutors praising police for facing a threat with bravery before anyone else was hurt. The organization knew little about Rutland, and had never considered the city as a possible destination, director Amila Merdzanovic said. Correction 4:30 p.m. 9/27/2019 An earlier version incorrectly identified the model type of the Chinook helicopter. We have too many things on our plate already. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Newly-released footage from a police cruiser's dash cam showing a chase through a popular shopping area's parking lot in downtown Rutland in October 2019. "We feel really confident in being able to get folks placed on the ground down there," Vermont Department of Labor Commissioner Annie Noonan said. Jasper Craven covers politics for VTDigger. 5, I'm so sorry for your loss. But that didn't mean they understood why 55-year-old Louras would risk his reputation, and possibly his job, for this. With the crisis in war-torn Syria, which has prompted millions of displaced people to flee to Europe, the VRRP is upping that number to 400. UPDATE 10/10/2019: The Vermont State Police today identified Nicholas Louras, 34, of Rutland, as the homicide victim found on Tuesday in Salisbury. Fairlee Developer Wants to Help Others Tackle Small-Town Housing Roadblocks, 4. Christopher Louras is the son of former Rutland mayor Christopher C. Louras. Louras had cruised to reelection five times. passed away on April 19, 2023. Trapeni was incensed at what he called the secrecy of the way resettlement was rolled out. Get him worked up, and his voice rises. Or send us a tip. This year, there will be an estimated 60 million refugees and displaced people worldwide. ((JACK THURSTON: The former mayor's late son is also suspected ((MAYOR DAVE ALLAIRE / Rutland, VT: 12:18: this has been a tragic event for our community, and of course, personally for my family.)) Former Rutland mayor Christopher Louras sits at home with his dog, Raye. Meetings at city hall in 2016 were packed with people on both sides of the resettlement issue. After Alderwoman Sharon Davis slammed him and the crowd erupted in applause, he assured a reporter, "Nothing I haven't heard before.". Absolutely. Agenda 21, as defined by the United Nations, is a strategy for sustainable development. "The people that have concerns about process, the people that say they have concerns about process, my issue with that is the other option would have been voting on allowing people to come into our community," Louras said. The date, time and location of his death is listed as October 2019/unknown, according to the document. Da Capo Publishing, Inc. Other communities, large and small,. Louras died to be the way the totality of his life should be judged. Rutland Nicholas N. Louras, 89, passed away on November 12, 2016 at Rutland Regional Medical Center.Nick Louras was born July 2, 1927, in Rutland, son of Nicholas and Amalia (Alexandrides) Louras. When asked if he had any plans to re-enter politics, the former mayors answer came fast: Hell no. Last year, the city paid $975,000 to settle claims from a former African American Rutland police officer who said he was a victim of racial bias from fellow officers. They engaged in secrecy for one simple reason they feared that involving the public sooner would derail the effort. Alan J. Keays is the former longtime news editor of the Rutland Herald. There will be no criminal charges filed against four Vermont Kelly Clarkson's Home Collection Is Up to 74% Off During Way Day Deals, The Best Wayfair Way Day Deals 2023 Starting at $30, Wayfair's Way Day Sale Includes Up to 60% Off Outdoor Furniture Here's What to Shop ASAP, Amazon Has So Many Good Mother's Day Gifts on Sale Right Now. Shooting Victim Found on Downtown Burlington Sidewalk, 3. Bree Johnley death, obituary: Bree Isabel Johnley death what happened? RUTLAND, Vt. . However, through the surveillance cameras that the police department had, police was able to identify the vehicle and its registration. It wouldn't be because of taxes. VTDigger regularly publishes stories about Vermont politics. It has long struggled with a stagnant economy and a declining population and has failed to attract the young families it needs to grow. Allaire noted he is optimistic a focus on addressing substance use disorders and forming neighborhood partnerships in Rutland can help strengthen his community after the encounter many here say really rattled locals. One individual asked how Rutland would handle the imposition of Sharia law. Whether its a short vacation or theyre jetting off to begin their career, show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift. Louras has given very few interviews since he left office in 2017. Christopher George Louras RUTLAND In memory of Christopher George Louras, a gathering for friends and family will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, at his She was born in Rutland October 31, 1921, the daughter of Nicholas and Amalia (Alex Separately, Chris Louras mother, Crystal King, told NECN and its affiliate, NBC 5 News, that she and Chris grandmother, Mary, loved the young man dearly and miss him every day. ((ROSE KENNEDY / Rutland County State's Attorney: 11:47: for that, I am eternally grateful to these officers and thank them for their actions.)) Literally. He was born in Rutland, Vermont April 4, 1934, the son of Christopher and Esther (Ladue) Webber, Sr. John married his wife of 35 years Kathleen (Kurdeka) Webber in 1966. Well check it out and report the results. There were other officers on scene, but only those four opened fire. In 1995, he left the military and moved back home to Rutland to work for the family business. He reports on criminal justice issues for VTDigger. Be Nice. ((MAYOR DAVE ALLAIRE / Rutland, VT: 12:49: life is fragile, and we need to hold our loved ones tight.)) Louras said he struggles to find solace in that. At the time, he referred all questions to the city's attorney. Investigators have not yet identified a motive for the killing. Mr. Louras is survived by a brother, Gus Louras, of Rutland and a sister, Marie Louras, of Rutland. 5, Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Make a one-time, tax-deductible donation to our spring campaign by May 12. Champlain St. Ste. She can be reached at ehewitt@vtdigger.org. Peter Shumlin was among the first to declare that his state would welcome the Syrians. Champlain St. Ste. For that, Louras is supposed to answer for the actions of city employees including the police. Police are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting in Rutland, Vermont. The United States has agreed to take in 85,000, including 10,000 Syrians, though the country has fallen behind on its schedule to fulfill that pledge. Vermont State Police on Tuesday confirmed that Christopher Louras was responsible for the murder of his cousin, Nicholas Louras. The Vermont State Police responded to the scene to continue the investigation into the officer-involved shooting. We consider this matter now closed, announced Vermont NBC5 chose not to broadcast or publish the moment 33-year-old Christopher Louras is struck by police bullets. Burlington, VT 05401, Al Gobeille, Top Exec at UVM Health Network, to Resign, Two Buildings That Straddle the Canadian Border Bedevil Tenants and a Health Inspector, Man Fatally Shot by Rutland Cop in a McDonald's Was Holding a Cellphone, Troopers Shoot Man Holding a Shotgun in Bristol, State Police Say, Victim in Salisbury Killing Is Cousin of Man Shot by Police in Rutland, 'Rutland' Filmmaker Viktor Witkowski Examines Syrian Refugee Debate, Former Rutland Mayor Describes Election Loss in VICE Interview, Rutland Mayor Says He Was 'Whooped' by Refugee Backlash, In Referendum on Refugees, Rutland Mayor Loses Reelection Bid, After Fighting for Refugees, Louras Battles to Remain Rutland's Mayor.
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