By Ann DeMatteo
New Haven Register
HAMDEN, Conn. — Firefighters and cops are being praised for bravery when a Treadwell Street man who didn’t want to go to the hospital pointed a loaded gun at the firefighters who went to his home to help him, authorities said Friday.
Firefighters stayed calm as the man, 66, was holding the .38- caliber revolver while they asked him about his medical condition and took his blood pressure in his room in the basement of the condominium Thursday afternoon. He told firefighters he would shoot any police officers who came in, according to police Capt. Ronald Smith.
When officers arrived at about 2:10 p.m., they struggled with the man, subdued him, and then saw a 10-inch hunting knife under his body, Smith said.
When he is released from the hospital, the man will be charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree unlawful restraint, disorderly conduct and threatening, Smith said.
Officers later seized 24 weapons, some of which were assault weapons, and ammunition from a safe during a search of the condominium. The man has a pistol permit, but police are checking to see whether the weapons are registered, Smith said. He does not have a police record.
“The firemen conducted themselves very bravely by keeping their composure. Thankfully, they were able to exit safely. The officers acted extremely heroically in bringing this case to a conclusion,” Smith said Friday. “This could have been very catastrophic. I’m very proud of the officers’ efforts.”
“I’m thankful, very thankful,” Fire Chief David A. Berardesca said. “We’re lucky to be able to tell this story today instead of a tragic story.”
Staying calm
Fire Lt. Charles Lubowicki, one of the firefighters who faced the gun while trying to give medical assistance, said he was happy “everything worked out and we’re here to talk about it. In a situation like this, you’re there to help the guy and as long as everyone is staying calm, with that, and the grace of God, everyone was OK.”
“It was a little bit surreal, but it was not the first time a gun was on me,” said Firefighter Adam Barletta, who once worked at a convenience store.
Firefighters were called to the house because the man was having difficulty breathing, officials said. The man’s elderly mother let firefighters into the condo and when firefighters went into the basement they saw the man reclining on his bed with a gun pointed at them, Lubowicki said.
“He definitely didn’t want to go to the hospital,” Lubowicki said.
The mother confirmed that Friday afternoon. “He was just protecting himself. He didn’t want to go to the hospital,” she said, because he had a bad experience previously. He was taken to Yale- New Haven Hospital, where he was in fair condition Friday afternoon, a spokesman said.
On Thursday afternoon, when Firefighter Sayyid Abdur-Rahman asked the man if the gun was real, he responded that he would try to shoot if they tried to trick him, Lubowicki said. Lubowicki said that he turned off his radio to prevent him from hearing any transmissions.
“He was concerned we were going to tackle and tie him down and force him to go to the hospital,” Barletta said.
Taking blood pressure
Firefighter Don Paczowski was taking the man’s blood pressure while the gun was pointed at him. Firefighter Tim Doyle also responded.
“Everyone played it calmly and professionally,” Barletta said.
At one point during the 20-minute incident, three firefighters went upstairs, and police then were contacted. Barletta went back downstairs to write down the man’s medications and then the man had a seizure, giving firefighters a brief window of time to leave, while police went downstairs, they said.
After the man was subdued, firefighters gave the man oxygen, inserted an intravenous line and placed him on a heart monitor.
“They seem to be doing very well,” Berardesca said of the firefighters. “I know they were scared because you’re not expecting that, but it could happen at any time at any incident. If they panicked, I don’t believe it would’ve had a successful ending.”
“Once again, the professionalism and training of our guardians is spotlighted. Faced with a very difficult situation, our firefighters and police officers responded in a fashion that does all of Hamden proud,” Mayor Scott D. Jackson said.
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