Massachusetts Man Arrested for Shooting Home Invader!

[RACastanet]

This is interesting. Perhaps the locals can see what the story behind this is. On the surface it looks like a man is arrested for protecting his wife inside his home...

Man shoots would-be robber; is arrested on gun charges
By Erin Smith/ Staff Writer
Friday, January 14, 2005

A would-be robber became a victim of his own crime last week after he was shot in the stomach by a Brighton man he was trying to rob, police said.

Police arrested Sean E. Roisten, 29, of 833 Jette Court, and charged him with unlawful possession of a firearm and assault and battery with a deadly weapon on a robber who was holding Roisten's wife at gunpoint.

The robbery suspect was transported to the hospital for a gunshot wound to the stomach. The suspect is expected to live. Police seized $59.25, three lighters, a set of keys, a box of Newport cigarettes, a tape cassette, a miniature toy gun, steel wool and a glass tube from the suspect. Police also seized a gun shell fragment with human tissue on it that was removed from the suspect.

Police are trying to work through various witness accounts and the crime is currently under investigation.

Roisten told police he was upstairs in his apartment with his wife and 5-year-old daughter waiting for his friend to return from the store with food when he heard a someone at the front door. Roisten called out, but was met with silence, and his wife went downstairs to see who was at the door, police said. When Roisten's wife opened the door, she was greeted by two men in ski masks and one man forced her back up the stairs at gunpoint, police said.

"He's got a gun!" Roisten told police he heard his wife scream as she was pushed up the stairs. Roisten told police he ran up to the third floor, retrieved his silver Smith and Wesson .40 caliber handgun and took cover behind a kitchen wall. When Roisten peeked around the hallway corner, he saw the robber emerge from the stairs holding his wife in a choke hold and pointing a black handgun at her head, police said.

The armed robber demanded money. Roisten said he had no money, but told the robber he could take anything from the house if he freed his wife, according to police.

The second ski mask-clad man then called up to the gunman that it was time to leave. The gunman began descending the stairs with Roisten's wife, police said. Roisten told police he rushed the stairs, slid down the railing, bent the suspect's right wrist and took possession of the gun.

Later, police received a call for a gunshot victim at 1505 Commonwealth Ave. Roisten then claimed he disarmed the suspect with his left hand and shot the suspect with his right as the suspect fled out of the front door, police said.

In the rear of 1505 Commonwealth Ave., police found a Sony hand camcorder, a black ski mask and a white skull cap. All were held as evidence.

A short while later, Roisten's friend returned to the apartment with a gash on the top of his head. The friend told police that while on his way to the store, he encountered a man in front of 32 Fidelis Way who claimed to have lost his keys. When the friend offered to help him find them, the man pulled out a handgun and forced him inside the hallway of 32 Fidelis Way, where they were joined by the second suspect, police said.

The first suspect demanded, "Give me Sean's keys," but when the victim told the gunmen he did not know what they were talking about, they struck him over the head with the pistol numerous times, police said. The victim told police he eventually gave the suspects his own keys. The suspects then bound the victim's hands behind his back with a belt and his ankles with his shoelaces. The victim finally worked himself free and returned to his friend's apartment. After giving his account to the police, the victim was taken to St. Elizabeth's for medical treatment.

Police found that Roisten's license to carry a gun expired last August and arrested him. Police took custody of Roisten's gun and the black Colt .45 handgun that Roisten claimed he took from the suspect.

[gmattson]

This story sounds bogus from beginning to end.

I think the police feels the same way.

[Panther]

Bogus or not... in Massachusetts you can't shoot them if they're fleeing unless you want to try to envoke the "fleeing felon" defense, which has never worked in Massachusetts for any private citizen, only for police officers.

Back to Bogus... You're right GEM... The whole story just doesn't "feel" right. It stinks like 3 week old fish left out to rot!