This one's just bizarre, and this guy is just lucky to be alive. And, judging from the tone in the Sentinel in stories of the last three gun-related incidents in Leominster/Fitchburg, I'm beginning to think things are getting a little too laid back around here!
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/ci_4019530
Robber shoots veteran
By Jonathan Graham
Sentinel & Enterprise
FITCHBURG -- Fitchburg resident Paul Caputi, 41, said he initially experienced a quiet night on Wednesday during his first shift as a clerk at Boomtown Variety.
Then a masked robber walked into the Main Street store, armed with a gun.
"I looked up, and there was a guy standing there with an AK-47," said Caputi, who sports a tattoo of a tiger on his right arm. "I think I said, 'That ain't real.' I thought it was a joke."
But Caputi said the reality of the situation hit home when the armed suspect drew back the bolt of the gun, putting a bullet in the chamber.
"I reached over and grabbed the muzzle of the barrel, and we struggled a little bit," Caputi said. "And apparently he won."
Caputi suffered a laceration on his hand when the armed suspect shot one round during the early Wednesday struggle at the store.
"It felt like someone cut me and put the inside of my hand on fire," he said.
Sgt. Glenn C. Fossa described the weapon used in the assault as a semi-automatic "hunting-type rifle," but Caputi said he is convinced it looked more like an assault weapon, such as an AK-47 or SK-47.
Fossa said police do not have any suspects in the robbery, which occurred a little after 2:30 a.m., Wednesday.
Caputi said the robber started for the door with the money, but then turned back to the counter and asked for a pack of Newport cigarettes.
"So I reached over and got it for him," Caputi said.
The suspect made off with about $250 and the pack of cigarettes in the robbery, Fossa said.
A man armed with a knife attempted to rob the store last December, but an employee pushed him out of the store.
The state police canine unit searched without success for the suspect Wednesday morning, Fossa said.
Police are examining some evidence at the scene, as well as the possibility the suspect used a vehicle in the robbery, Fossa said.
Caputi said the robber wore a black-and-white "Scream" mask, made famous by the horror movie of the same name.
The armed suspect is described as 5-feet-5-inches tall, wearing black jeans and a brown coat.
Caputi, who stands 6-feet-5-inches tall, said he nearly managed to grab the gun.
"I really thought I had that rifle," he said.
But he said the counter between himself and the suspect "messed him up" and prevented him from getting a firm hold of the weapon.
Caputi said the suspect seemed stunned after shooting Caputi in the hand.
"He asked me why I did that," Caputi said. "I think I scared him more than he scared me."
Caputi said no one ever shot him before, despite the fact he served in the Marine Corps from 1983 to 1987, and fought in the Gulf War as a reserve. He only saw one day of combat in that time, when he came under artillery fire.
"I got a little scared when the round went off," Caputi said of Wednesday's shooting. "All I thought was, 'I hope he didn't shoot me.'"
Caputi's wife, Pamela, a registered nurse, cared for his injured hand at his home Wednesday afternoon.
"I don't even want to look at it," Caputi said while she took off his bloodied bandage. "It's all ripped up."
She washed the wound with water, making sure to not bend Caputi's wrist, which he said struck the counter in his attempt to grab the gun.
Caputi said after the armed suspect left the store, he immediately called the police and waited for their arrival.
"I don't know if there was a getaway car or not, because all I could think about was the blood gushing out of my hand," he said.
Fossa said police do not encourage people to do what Caputi did.
"Police never recommend individuals taking action where there's immediate danger," Fossa said. "It was a brave choice for the clerk, and we're glad he's OK, but the police don't endorse or condone his actions."
Caputi said he does not know whether he would make the same decision to grab the gun if he could replay the whole incident.
"You start to think, 'I'm not going to let this guy shoot me," said Caputi. "I wouldn't recommend what I did to anybody. I don't know if what I did was stupid or lucky."
"I know the Marine Corps would never recommend it," he later added.
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/ci_4019530
Robber shoots veteran
By Jonathan Graham
Sentinel & Enterprise
FITCHBURG -- Fitchburg resident Paul Caputi, 41, said he initially experienced a quiet night on Wednesday during his first shift as a clerk at Boomtown Variety.
Then a masked robber walked into the Main Street store, armed with a gun.
"I looked up, and there was a guy standing there with an AK-47," said Caputi, who sports a tattoo of a tiger on his right arm. "I think I said, 'That ain't real.' I thought it was a joke."
But Caputi said the reality of the situation hit home when the armed suspect drew back the bolt of the gun, putting a bullet in the chamber.
"I reached over and grabbed the muzzle of the barrel, and we struggled a little bit," Caputi said. "And apparently he won."
Caputi suffered a laceration on his hand when the armed suspect shot one round during the early Wednesday struggle at the store.
"It felt like someone cut me and put the inside of my hand on fire," he said.
Sgt. Glenn C. Fossa described the weapon used in the assault as a semi-automatic "hunting-type rifle," but Caputi said he is convinced it looked more like an assault weapon, such as an AK-47 or SK-47.
Fossa said police do not have any suspects in the robbery, which occurred a little after 2:30 a.m., Wednesday.
Caputi said the robber started for the door with the money, but then turned back to the counter and asked for a pack of Newport cigarettes.
"So I reached over and got it for him," Caputi said.
The suspect made off with about $250 and the pack of cigarettes in the robbery, Fossa said.
A man armed with a knife attempted to rob the store last December, but an employee pushed him out of the store.
The state police canine unit searched without success for the suspect Wednesday morning, Fossa said.
Police are examining some evidence at the scene, as well as the possibility the suspect used a vehicle in the robbery, Fossa said.
Caputi said the robber wore a black-and-white "Scream" mask, made famous by the horror movie of the same name.
The armed suspect is described as 5-feet-5-inches tall, wearing black jeans and a brown coat.
Caputi, who stands 6-feet-5-inches tall, said he nearly managed to grab the gun.
"I really thought I had that rifle," he said.
But he said the counter between himself and the suspect "messed him up" and prevented him from getting a firm hold of the weapon.
Caputi said the suspect seemed stunned after shooting Caputi in the hand.
"He asked me why I did that," Caputi said. "I think I scared him more than he scared me."
Caputi said no one ever shot him before, despite the fact he served in the Marine Corps from 1983 to 1987, and fought in the Gulf War as a reserve. He only saw one day of combat in that time, when he came under artillery fire.
"I got a little scared when the round went off," Caputi said of Wednesday's shooting. "All I thought was, 'I hope he didn't shoot me.'"
Caputi's wife, Pamela, a registered nurse, cared for his injured hand at his home Wednesday afternoon.
"I don't even want to look at it," Caputi said while she took off his bloodied bandage. "It's all ripped up."
She washed the wound with water, making sure to not bend Caputi's wrist, which he said struck the counter in his attempt to grab the gun.
Caputi said after the armed suspect left the store, he immediately called the police and waited for their arrival.
"I don't know if there was a getaway car or not, because all I could think about was the blood gushing out of my hand," he said.
Fossa said police do not encourage people to do what Caputi did.
"Police never recommend individuals taking action where there's immediate danger," Fossa said. "It was a brave choice for the clerk, and we're glad he's OK, but the police don't endorse or condone his actions."
Caputi said he does not know whether he would make the same decision to grab the gun if he could replay the whole incident.
"You start to think, 'I'm not going to let this guy shoot me," said Caputi. "I wouldn't recommend what I did to anybody. I don't know if what I did was stupid or lucky."
"I know the Marine Corps would never recommend it," he later added.
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