Sunday, June 26, 2011

California man shoots and kills two before turning the gun on himself

54-year-old Napoleon Caliguiran, of San Jose, California, shot and killed his wife, 25-year-old Cyndy Caliguiran and her friend, 26-year-old Kyle Williams as the two sat in a car in a parking garage on the campus of San Jose State University. Caliguiran then turned the gun on himself. All three died of their injuries.
Cyndy and Kyle were both honor students who were about to graduate with accounting degrees from SJSU. They were both members of Beta Alpha Psi, an honors organization for accounting students.
Police haven't determined a motive for the shooting but did say that the couple has no known history of domestic violence and that Caliguiran had no known criminal record.
According to Caliguiran's former brother-in-law, "I dropped my jaw and felt sick to my stomach. I cannot even believe he could pick up a gun and shoot somebody. This guy is not a monster. He's a nice guy."

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Long Island Man Charged with Killing Four People





33-year-old David Laffer of Medford, NY is an Army vet with no criminal record and a valid permit from New York state to possess a .45-caliber handgun. Laffer and his wife, Melinda Brady have been arrested and charged in connection with Sunday's execution-style murders at a Long Island pharmacy that left four people dead. Laffer was charged with first-degree murder and resisting arrest. Brady was charged with third-degree robbery and obstructing governmental administration. She allegedly drove the getaway car.
During the holdup four people were shot at close range without apparent provocation. Killed were pharmacist Raymond Ferguson, 45, store clerk Jennifer Mejia, 17, and two customers, Bryon Sheffield, 71, and Jamie Taccetta, 33. The killer left with a backpack full of prescription pain medication.
A neighbor described Laffer as "a great kid. I don't know what happened. You couldn't ask for better neighbors. I just can't believe it. I cannot say anything better about the family."
A teammate from Laffer's floor hockey league said, "He was a good guy, quiet, not somebody you would expect to do what they say he did. Probably everybody's telling you the same thing."

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Registered Gun Dealer to Plead Insanity in Fatal Bar Shooting

63-year-old Frank Hvizdak of Glenbeulah, Wisconsin plans to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect in the shooting death of Jason TenPas. Hvizdak, who has no prior criminal record, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide for allegedly firing four shots into TenPas during an argument at a bar in Sheboygan Falls. Witnesses say that Hvizdak and TenPas got into an argument. TenPas stood up and made a sweeping motion with his hand as if to push something away. At that point Hvizdak pulled out a small silver handgun and fired three times. TenPas fell to the floor and Hvizdak then fired a fourth shot into TenPas' head as he lay on the ground.
At the time of the shooting Hvizdak was a licensed federal firearms dealer. The trial is set for September.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Man indited for shooting 12-year-old boy calls it a "tragic accident"

56-year-old Michael Bishop said he was awakened from a deep sleep thinking someone was breaking into his house. So he grabbed his shotgun and stepped out onto his porch and just before 9 pm fired a shot at a group of young boys who were running away. 12-year-old Jacob Eberle was struck in the back.
Police said the boys were playing a game known as "Ding-Dong-Ditch", ringing doorbells and then running away, when the shooting occurred. Bishop's attorney told the court, "I don't believe Mr. Bishop intended to hurt anyone," and added, "He's going through a very difficult time right now, as is the boy's family." He also noted that Bishop was a law abiding citizen with no criminal record "We're talking about a man in his mid-50s who has never even had a speeding ticket in his entire life. And...this snapshot he's been arrested and charged with attempted murder."
But Jacob's uncle sees things differently. "This wasn't an accidental firing at Jacob," he told reporters, "We believe he was aimed at under the circumstances. The medical evaluation shows he has 92 pellets in his back alone and the shotgun was loaded with 200 pellets."
Bishop has been indited on charges of first-degree assault, first-degree wanton endangerment and tampering with physical evidence.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Quiet husband shoots wife as kids watch, then turns gun on himself

32-year-old Nathaniel Gordon of Winslow, Maine shot and killed his wife Sarah as their two children, an 8-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter watched. Neighbors said they never heard of saw any hint of trouble at the Gordon's home. And police report that while some family members said the Gordons argued often no paperwork was found indicating a divorce or separation and they had never been called to the home for a domestic violence dispute.
Nathaniel was a law abiding citizen with no criminal history. He was a warrant officer with the Maine Army National Guard and had served a tour of duty in Iraq. But a cousin said she noticed a change in Nathaniel when he returned from Iraq. "He went to war, and came back, and he was a little different, a little standoffish."
After shooting and killing his wife, Nathaniel lead police on a car chase that ended when spike mats were laid down that deflated at least one of the car's tires. Nathaniel then fired at least two shots inside his car before shooting and killing himself. The moving car struck the guardrail along the median where it came to a stop.

Lawmaker faces gun charges

State representative Frederick Wintle, from Garland, Maine was arrested after allegedly pointing a handgun at a man at point-blank range in a Dunkin' Donuts parking lot in Waterville, Maine. The 58-year-old Republican legislator is charged with felony criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.
Police reports indicate that Wintle approached a man in the parking lot and starting talking about an infant who had recently died and how he was looking for the mother's drug dealer. Wintle then pulled a .22-caliber handgun out of his pants and pointed it at the man. "I did not engage him in any way," said the victim, "All I knew was there was a loaded gun pointed at me from a couple feet away, pointed right at my midsection."
Wintle is a law abiding citizen with no criminal record. Since this incident occurred Wintle has been barred from entering the State House and ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.