Armed Citizen in New York

Post-Standard, October 18, 2009: A man who broke into a home near Phoenix was shot and killed Saturday when the homeowners came home, said Oswego County Sheriff Reuel Todd. The owners of the home at 211 Hilltop Drive in Schroeppel fought with the intruder, Todd said. “There was a violent struggle,” the sheriff said. The intruder was shot once with a handgun and died immediately, Todd said. Where the gun came from is under investigation, he said. A source familiar with the case said a woman came home from shopping with an adult son and found the male intruder inside the home. The intruder attacked the woman and the son came to her defense, attacking the intruder, the source said. The woman got a gun in the home and shot the intruder, the source said. The intruder’s identity was not released, but Todd said he was a man about 40 years old. The homeowners did not know the intruder, Todd said. The family members were very distraught, but had only minor physical injuries from the struggle, Todd said. Oswego County sheriff’s deputies and area rescue workers responded to a report that a person had been shot at the home shortly after 8:40 p.m. The caller to 911 dispatchers said someone had been shot. Hilltop Drive runs parallel to Route 481 just south of Route 57A. Ambulance crews were kept from the scene as deputies assessed the situation. Shortly before 9 p.m., the ambulance crews were cleared to go in.

Journal News, October 6, 2009: Two village residents who police said were shot by the owner of a Warren Avenue home after they broke into the residence are in jail facing felony burglary and robbery charges. Julio Urena, 17, and Juan Martinez, 25, pleaded not guilty to the charges Monday afternoon in Village Court. Haverstraw Village Justice Ronald DeCaprio set bail at $50,000 for each suspect. Urena was shot in the buttock and Martinez was shot in the arm after a home on Warren Avenue was broken into shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday. Both were treated at local hospitals and released to police custody. The suspects appeared in court still wearing blue hospital robes. Martinez had his arm in a sling. The two said little during their court appearance. Both requested Spanish translators. Urena indicated that he was a student at North Rockland High School. Martinez said he worked at a local business. Both said they lived with their families in the village. The men were found hiding near a small chapel across the street from the house soon after the break-in was reported, Haverstraw police Capt. Martin Lund said. The homeowner shot both suspects with a rifle, he said. No charges were brought against the homeowner. Permits are not required to own a rifle. DeCaprio also granted an order of protection forbidding Urena and Martinez from having any contact with the victim. It was unclear whether the victim and the two suspects knew each other. More than 20 members of Urena’s family attended the hearing. A man who said he was an uncle and declined to give his name said he and the rest of the family were shocked by the charges. Martinez’s mother also attended the arraignment. No one was home Monday afternoon at the yellow two-story house on a tiny street off Broadway, not far from the downtown business district. Several neighbors said they didn’t hear any commotion during the incident Sunday night. Other neighbors said there was tension on the street between some homeowners and more recent residents who rent homes. Charlie Di Carlo, whose elderly aunt lives on the street, said he heard about the shooting and went to check on his aunt Monday morning. “At one time this was a very nice neighborhood,” said Di Carlo, a Tomkins Cove resident whose family has owned a house on the street since the early 1900s. “Then you start to get trouble like this.” The owner of the home that was broken into had bought the property several years ago and was remodeling it, he said. The homes on the street back onto the Hudson River. Di Carlo said members of his family have been tending the small Chapel of Maria Santissima Di Montevergine at the end of the block for more than 80 years.

Post-Standard, September 19, 2009: A North Syracuse resident shot and killed two Syracuse men after they kicked in the front door to his home and entered early Saturday morning in what police are calling an apparent home invasion. Dead are Thomas R. Lashomb, 23, of South Midler Avenue, and Wade A. Brown, 26, of West Matson Avenue, Officer Jeffrey Tripp, of the North Syracuse police, said. Jeffrey J. Bush, 22, shot both men with a pistol-grip shotgun as Bush and others struggled with Lashomb and Brown inside the house at 115 Elm St., Tripp said. During the struggle, Bush’s 2-year-old son slept in another room. The two men targeted the Elm Street house, Tripp said. “This isn’t a random act.” Tripp said. “They were at this house for a reason, we just don’t know why yet.” Here’s the account police gave of the incident: A resident of 115 Elm St. called 911 around 1:03 a.m. and said two men kicked in his front door and attacked him. One of the intruders, later identified as Lashomb, was reportedly wearing a ski mask. Bush and three friends were in the living room playing video games on the Playstation when the intruders broke in, Tripp said. Bush said he was attacked by Lashomb and Brown and they began to fight. One of Bush’s friends jumped in to help him. Bush fought with Lashomb and subsequently shot and killed him. Brown was also shot by Bush and died while being taken to a hospital. Neither man made a statement before they died, Tripp said. Police said Bush received minor injuries, but none of the others in the home were hurt. No other names were released. Tripp said Bush and Lashomb were acquainted, but could not say how. The reason Lashomb was wearing mask may have been because Bush knew him, Tripp said. Both dead men have a criminal history. The most recent was on April 30, when Lashomb was charged by deputies criminal use of a firearm and robbery, both felonies, and criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor, according to Post-Standard archives. In 2003, Lashomb and another man were accused of attempting to rob a Dunkin’ Donuts in Salina. At the time, the two were suspected of successfully robbing the store two months earlier, according to Post-Standard archives. In 2000, Brown was charged robbery, grand larceny and reckless endangerment, all felonies. He was accused of gagging and robbing a homeless woman as she slept at a friend’s home in Casual Estates, Clay, according to the archives. Brown was living in Casual Estates at the time. Bush went to the North Syracuse police station and was interviewed by police, Tripp said. “He was very cooperative,” Tripp said. North Syracuse police consider the shooting deaths to have been in self-defense. No charges were filed by North Syracuse police, but Tripp said that any charges would be up to the district attorney’s office. “If the district attorney’s office feels they need to, they will put it before a grand jury,” Tripp said. Bush was very emotional after the shooting and John Thomas, the grandfather of Bush’s children and next-door neighbor, said the family is keeping Bush secluded for a while. Thomas also felt the shootings were in self-defense. “Any man would do the same,” Thomas said of the shooting. Bush was home taking care of his son while Krystal Thomas, the mother of Bush’s children, was in the hospital, John Thomas said. Krystal Thomas gave birth to the couple’s second son on Thursday morning, he said. The shotgun used by Bush belonged to him, Tripp said. The pistol grip shotgun is a legal gun, he said. A small amount of marijuana was found inside the residence, Tripp said. No one has been charged with possessing the drug, Tripp said. Neighbors on Elm Street said they did not hear the shotgun blasts, which Tripp confirmed occurred inside the residence. Joan Bowers, who lives at 118 Elm St., across from where the incident occurred, said she did not even know anything was happening until ambulances arrived. “I didn’t hear nothing,” she said. When she saw an ambulance, Bowers thought that it might be for another neighbor who has a heart condition. The house at 115 Elm St. is about 20 yards back from the street and is screened off by tall trees. “I heard cars out at 1 a.m., and I looked out the door but didn’t see anything, so I went back to bed,” said Jay Seager, a resident at 116 Elm St. The investigation and search for a motive are continuing, Tripp said. The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office and the state police are assisting in the investigation.

New York Times, August 13, 2009: A 72-year-old Harlem business owner used a shotgun to blast four men who tried to rob his restaurant-supply business Thursday afternoon, killing two and sending two others to the hospital with gunshot wounds, the New York City police said. The business, the Kaplan Brothers Blue Flame Corporation, at 523 West 125th Street, near Amsterdam Avenue, sells commercial gas and electric ranges, as well as parts and repairs. The police said that the four would-be robbers entered the business and announced that they were robbing it. One of them took out a 9-mm pistol and started to pistol-whip a 33-year old employee inside the store. The owner then took out a shotgun and opened fire, striking the four men. Public records identify the owner as Charles J. Augusto Jr., 72. It was not immediately clear whether the owner had a license for the shotgun. Calls about the shooting began coming in at 3:09 p.m. One man died at the scene and a second, who was taken to at St. Luke’s Hospital at 3:22 p.m., later died of his injuries. A third man injured in the shooting walked into St. Luke’s — which is about 12 blocks to the south of the business, in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan — with gunshot injuries. The fourth man was found nearby with gunshot wounds, the police said. As the police cordoned off the scene, a large crowd of onlookers gathered around the site of the shooting. Near the business are two churches, Antioch Baptist Church and the Manhattan Pentecostal Church; the 26th Precinct station house; and the Our Children’s Foundation, an afterschool program. Nearly two hours after the shooting, the body of a dead man lay on the sidewalk, its upper half covered in white plastic. The man wore gray pants and white shoes. The sneakers pointed up. A woman who answered the phone at Mr. Augusto’s house in Irvington, in Westchester County, N.Y., said the family had no comment. “They’re very upset, the people who live in the area,” said Sarah Martin, the president of the residents’ association at the General Grant Houses, one of the city’s largest public housing developments. The complex, which contains nine buildings and about 4,500 residents, is across 125th Street from the business where the shooting occurred. Ms. Martin, who walked outside to look at the scene of the shooting, said that bystanders appeared to be sympathetic to the business owner. “People are saying things like, ‘How the hell are you going to try to rob someone in broad daylight?’ The police have it all blocked off.” One bystander, Venus Singleton, 51, said that an employee at the business, known as J. B., was well-liked in the community. “I hope that the gun was licensed, and that he was in his rights,” she said. Another bystander, Ricardo Gonzalez, 37, said he used to do odd jobs at Blue Flame for a few extra dollars. Mr. Gonzalez said the business’s owner, known to everyone as Gus, was also well-regarded in the neighborhood. “He’s a good dude, helps out the neighborhood,” Mr. Gonzalez said. Mr. Gonzalez said that J. B. had worked for the business for at least a decade and was one of Gus’s most trusted workers. According to a 1989 article in The New York Times , Blue Flame repairs old gas and electric commercial ranges. The article reported that Charles Augusto, president of the business, which was founded in the late 1920s, could repair stoves made as far back as the 1920s. A 2001 item in The Times reported that Blue Flame also sold discounted commercial ranges and ovens that had once been used by restaurants.

WABC, June 2, 2009: A Long Island deli owner pulled a gun on a would-be robber and then gave him cash. Mohammad Sohail, who owns the Shirley Express, says a bat-wielding man entered the convenience store and demanded money on Thursday, May 21, just after midnight. Sohail responded by pulling out a rifle. The suspect then reportedly dropped to his knees and begged forgiveness, blaming the tough economy for his turn to crime. The Pakistani immigrant, who has been on Long Island for more than 20 years, put down his gun and gave the man $40 and a loaf of bread. “He started crying,” Sohail told Newsday. “He was saying, ‘I have no money. I have no food. I have no job. I have to take care of my family.'” Sohail told the man to promise he would never rob anyone again, and then gave him the cash and bread. He says that when he went to get the man some milk, the suspect fled the scene on foot. Sohail then called 911. Police, who confirmed the account, say the incident is under investigation. Still, Sohail told Newsday that he does not want the robber to end up in jail. “I told him, ‘Please, don’t rob anybody again,'” Sohail told the newspaper. “I hope he learned something.”

Daily News, May 10, 2009: An off-duty cop shot and killed an armed robber during a brazen stickup in a Brooklyn auto shop Saturday, police and witnesses said. Ray Williams, 49, was getting his 1998 Lexus repaired at Mel’s Auto Specialist in East Flatbush when two men walked in and asked for a used car battery, witnesses said. One of the men, his hand palming a concealed .45-caliber handgun, pulled out the weapon and announced a robbery, sources said. “Everybody get on the ground! Everybody get on the ground!” the gunman yelled, a witness told the Daily News. The stunned customers and a manager froze. A moment later, Williams, a narcotics detective, identified himself and drew his gun. That’s when the bullets started flying at the E. 42nd St. shop. It was unclear who shot first, police said. Williams was on target, hitting the gunman in the neck, police said. “I heard a gunshot, and the [suspect] was laying in a pool of blood,” said Nigel, 38, a customer in the store who didn’t want to give his last name. The second robber picked up his partner’s gun and continued spraying bullets. “Shots were flying,” said Glen, a witness who also gave only his first name. “They were shooting like crazy.” His clip empty, the gunman ran off and hopped into a white Chevy TrailBlazer. Williams, with gun in hand, gave chase – but encountered another man with a weapon. “Drop your gun now!” the man ordered Williams. The pistol-wielding gunman turned out to be a good Samaritan – with a license to carry a weapon – who came to check on the gunfire. “I’m a cop! I’m a cop!” Williams assured him. The confusion could have been deadly, one police source pointed out. “The detective was in the middle of a nightmare,” said the source. “He comes out after a gun battle and confronts this guy. Luckily, both showed restraint. They could have shot each other by mistake.” The second suspect was still being sought Saturday night. Police haven’t released the dead man’s name. Late Saturday, police were combing the crime scene, which was littered with at least 14 shell casings. Williams was taken to Kings County Hospital for trauma and given a Breathalyzer test, which he passed. Witnesses, meanwhile, said Williams, who has been a cop since 1992, probably saved some lives. “That man [the robber] would have killed every last one if that [cop] hadn’t pulled the trigger,” said Joseph Garcia, 61, who lives across the street from the auto shop.

New York Post, May 9, 2009: A retired cop shot and wounded a thug who had attempted to rob him in Bedford-Stuyvesant, authorities said. James Singleton, 32, walked up to the 45-year-old retired police officer near Schenectady Avenue and Herkimer Street at 4 p.m. Thursday and pulled a gun from his waistband, officials said. The cop grabbed his own revolver and fired, hitting Singleton once in the shoulder, cops said. A loaded .25-caliber handgun was recovered at the scene. Singleton was treated at Kings County Hospital. He was charged with attempted robbery and weapons possession.

WKBW, April 22, 2009: A group of apparent home invaders met their match when they tried to kick in the door at an off-duty Buffalo police officer’s home. The cop shot two of the men, killing one of them. It happened just before 9:30 Wednesday morning. The Buffalo police officer who lives on Burlington Avenue in the northeast part of the city says he heard people trying to kick in the side door of his home, so he grabbed his gun and fired. “They were confronted by the off-duty officer and got shot,” says Chief Dennis Richards of the Buffalo Police Department. The off-duty officer then called for help and officers from Buffalo’s E district arrived to find two suspects shot and called in homicide detectives. One suspected burglar was pronounced dead at the Erie County Medical Center. He is a 36-year-old man but his name has not yet been released. A second suspected burglar is in critical condition. He’s identified as 33-year-old Anthony Creamer. A third suspect, who was not shot, was arrested after driving Creamer to the hospital. Police are charging 22-year-old Tyrone Sayles with first degree burglary. “It’s an off-duty officer who shot the individuals and we’re commencing our investigation as is standard practice we’re not identifying the officer at this time,” says Chief Richards. Eyewitness News has learned the name of the off-duty officer, but due to concern over the officer’s safety we are choosing not to reveal his name at this point. The Buffalo Police Professional Standards Division will conduct their own investigation. That is part of the normal procedure when an officer is involved in a shooting. Police are not saying at this point if the suspects were armed. There are other unanswered questions at this point too including whether the suspects knew the officer or if they randomly chose that house. The off-duty officer is now on administrative leave.

Democrat & Chronicle, April 4, 2009: Greece police are investigating the shooting death of a man on Baneberry Way just off Manitou Road in north Greece. Greece Police Chief Merritt Rahn said that a man confronted three other men who he believed were breaking into a neighbor’s house across the street. The man, who had a handgun, told police he confronted the three and one of the three men then charged at him. The man with the gun fired two shots and hit one of the three men, he told police. Rahn said the man who was shot died at the scene. The incident was reported about 3:30 a.m. At 6 a.m., police still were trying to identify the man who was killed and did not know his age. The other two men fled on foot. Police used tracking dogs to help find them, but they called off the search this morning due to deteriorating weather. The Monroe County Medical Examiner’s van arrived on scene about 4:45 a.m. The incident remains under investigation.

WCXA, April 1, 2009: A 47-year-old man is in the Greene County jail with a gunshot wound after State Police say he showed up drunk at his estranged wife’s home and harassed her and her sister. Troopers got a call around 5:30 Monday evening from a 49-year-old woman who said she had just shot her sister’s ex-husband. Police say Geraldine Finelli armed herself with a 20-gauge shotgun after Donald Case Jr. showed up making threats. When Case refused to leave, she fired one round toward the ground, striking Case in the lower leg. He took off, but was stopped by Catskill village police and taken to the hospital for treatment of the wound. When he was released, State Police charged him with second-degree burglary. He was arraigned and jailed on $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond.