Saturday, August 8, 2015
Crime
Vermont DCF Worker Fatally Shot
click to enlarge - Wcax
- A rifle at the scene of the shooting
A Vermont Department for Children and Families worker was shot and killed in Barre late Friday afternoon — and authorities say the homicide was related to her work.
The victim, identified in multiple media accounts as Lara Sobel, was killed at Barre City Place.
The
Burlington Free Press reported that after the shooting, bystanders tackled the alleged perpetrator, Jody Herring. She is expected to be arraigned on homicide charges Monday, the paper reported. She had lost custody of her 9-year-old child in July, and
authorities believe that led to the shooting, according to WCAX.
Gov. Peter Shumlin said in a statement that the DCF workers have to deal with challenging family situations. He called the shooting "shocking and heartbreaking."
Here's the full statement Shumlin's office attributed to him:
"While we won't know all the details for some time, the initial reports are horrific and break my heart. I've asked the Department of Human Resources to immediately make available crisis and grief counseling services to state employees affected by this incident. I have also asked the Agency of Administration to work with Vermont State Police to support the investigation. While there is no indication of a broader threat, the Agency of Administration will review security procedures in state buildings in light of this tragic event and provide any additional measures immediately. Additionally, until we know more about this incident, DCF staff have been directed to only go out on emergency calls this weekend accompanied by law enforcement.
"The employees at DCF deal with the most challenging family situations that one can imagine. They do the work out of their dedication to the children and families of this great state. To lose one of our own in the course of that duty is shocking and heartbreaking.
Tags: Lara Sobel, Department for Children and Families, Jody Herring, Image, Web Only
About The Author
Matthew Roy
Bio:
News editor Matthew Roy has been at Seven Days since 2014. Before that, he was an editor at The Virginian-Pilot.