WESTFIELD – A city man’s firearms were seized and he is facing at least a trespassing charge after he reportedly threatened to shoot a neighbor’s radio Thursday afternoon.
Office Luis Morales reports he responded to a 1:07 p.m. call from a North Road resident who said that a neighbor came on to his property, unplugged his radio and threatened to shoot it if the owner plugged it back in.
Morales reports the caller said that he had been listening to his radio when the music suddenly stopped.
The resident said that when he investigated he found his neighbor was outside and had unplugged the radio. When he objected, the man said that if he plugged it back in he would shoot the radio.
Morales reports that there appear to be ongoing issues between the neighbors and said that the victim is apparently in the process of building a stockade fence between the properties.
Morales reports that he next spoke with the suspect who admitted that he had said that he would shoot the radio and the side of the house but said he was “just kidding.”
Morales asked the man if he had a license to carry a firearm and the man produced one.
When Morales asked to see the man’s firearms, the suspect led him to his bedroom where, he said, the guns were locked in a safe.
He reports that a supply of ammunition was seen in plain view near the safe but eight long weapons were found to be properly secured inside it.
Morales seized the man’s license to carry firearms and the eight long guns.
His supervisor, Sgt. Alex Baginski, went to the North Road property and said that the issue is clear cut.
“You can’t do that” he said.
“Once weapons are even mentioned” he said, “we’re going to take the guns.”
Morales filed a criminal complaint against the suspect for trespassing.
Baginski said that although the boundary was not posted, “he hopped the fence to get in there.”
“Luis got him for trespassing, anyway” he said but added that additional charges are possible.
He also said that the suspect can expect to hear from Chief John Camerota about the status of his license to carry firearms.
