BARTON — A 30-year-old homeless man in the Barton/Orleans area is facing unlawful trespass and reckless endangerment charges after discharging a .45 caliber handgun in Barton today.
At around 11:30 a.m. police received several reports that a man had fired a gun on Lincoln Avenue in Barton and was threatening to shoot people.
Troopers from the Derby and St. Johnsbury Barracks, along with officers from US Customs and Border Protection and Orleans County Sheriff’s Department responded to the area and attempted to locate the man.
As the investigation progressed, investigators say they began looking for Max Pickle, 30, of the Barton/Orleans area.
Pickle has been homeless for a while now, with no permanent residence police say.
It was determined that Pickle had been periodically staying at an abandoned property located at 49 Lincoln Avenue against the wishes of the landowner.
Pickle is believed to have discharged the handgun after a verbal altercation with people on Lincoln Avenue.
All areas schools had been contacted of the potential threat of a person with a firearm during the initial response.
Schools and area businesses were encouraged to follow their protocol for such incidents.
Police say at this time there is no continued threat to anyone in the community.
Pickle was lodged at Northern State Correctional Facility for lack of $2,500.
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Max has been homeless for years and made no attempt to better himself. He has been finding vacant/abandoned residences to live in for a very long time and is known to steal his meals and belongings where ever he could. I kicked him out of my store 2 yrs ago when I caught him trying to leave with merchandise in his pocket.
Schools were notified, but they are gun-free zones where any person with a psyche disorder could walk in at any time of day and cause total mayhem. The police are 15 minutes away, and training for veterans on staff or rational gun owners has not been offered.
Ive known Max for a few yrs and he has always been walking the streets for those few sleeping where ever he could.He was always friendly to me.
Give the guy a place to live!!! Out in the sticks where nobody can bother him and he won’t be inclined to bother others! How to solve the homeless problem: Give them a home–no strings attached! Help those with less!!!
I have to say I agree John Goodman.
he doesn’t need a handout.every time some one helps him out and gives him a place to say he wears out his welcome very fast.he comes from a good family and was taught right from wrong.he has mental illness but will not get help for it.so i hope in jail they will see that he needs some kind of treatment and gets him the help he needs.max is a good person.