Arrest made in group attack in downtown Burlington

Burlington police made an arrest Friday in the group assault of a man near Main Street and South Winooski Avenue that was captured on surveillance video. Police say Antonio A. Hammond Jr, 18, was the "primary aggressor" in the August 9 beating that sent a 43-year-old man to UVM Medical Center with serious injuries.

It began, police say, when Hammond allegedly "sucker punched" an apparent random victim from behind.

Police: 12 people assault man in downtown Burlington

After the victim fell to the sidewalk, unconscious, Hammond allegedly kicked the right side of the victim's face "like a soccer ball, causing his ear to break into pieces and bleed profusely."

Hammond then allegedly stomped on the victim's face as his head lay on the cement pavement, police said.

Hammond, who police say has had more than 100 encounters with the law, was arrested in a parking lot near a fishing pier at 75 Penny Lane.

Police say he was with "a large group of apparent juveniles drinking and fighting."

Officers saw Hammond in a nearby vehicle. Police said Hammond got out of the car and was handcuffed and being search when he "became uncooperative."

Hammond eventually had to be picked up and put into a cruiser.

Hammond was arraigned today on aggravated assault and disorderly conduct and is being held without bail pending hearing at 2 p.m.

Late last month, police warned that groups of young people — police declined to call them 'gangs' — had been involved in several assaults in downtown Burlington.

In the most recent incident, on September 2, in police say a group of about a dozen people man knocked a man to the ground on College Street and at least five people repeatedly kicked him before he was able to get away.