Norwalk cops seize guns from the streetsPosted: Monday, July 21, 2008 By John Nickerson / Staff Writier - The Advocate Norwalk cops seize guns from the streets By John Nickerson NORWALK - Added police patrols, street interviews and pat downs with an emphasis on reducing gang violence have led to a dramatic increase of gun seizures, police say. From June 24 through July 13, police have taken seven guns off the street, Deputy Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik said. The most recent confiscation occurred after police spotted two young men walking out of the Monterey Village housing complex at 2:30 a.m. July 13, Chief Harry Rilling said. When police asked what they were doing, one of the youths began moving away. Rilling said that after the youth was detained and asked whether he had a weapon, the 16-year-old put his chin on his chest and said, "I got a burner." Reaching into the suspect's right front pocket, the officer pulled out a .380-caliber pistol with eight hollow-point bullets in the magazine, Rilling said. The gun's serial number had been filed off. The youth, whose name was withheld by police because of his age, was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, altering the gun's identification and criminal trespassing. He was held on $50,000 bond. Almost three hours earlier, police had stopped a group of six youths walking east on Larsen Street. When police asked what they were doing, one of the young men turned and nervously adjusted his pants by the front waistband. Spotting a red bandanna hanging out of one of the youth's rear pockets, a sign of gang affiliation, the officer watched the youth pull his T-shirt over his left front pocket. Spying the handle of a gun, the officer grabbed a fist full of shirt and the youth tried to run, a police report said. After pushing Dwayne Leak, 20, of the Meadow Gardens housing complex, to the ground, police recovered a fully loaded silver five-shot revolver, the report said. Leak was charged with carrying a gun without a permit and interfering with an officer. He was held on $50,000 bond. Kulhawik said gun seizures are up. "It seems higher than normal," he said of the number of guns recently taken off the streets. He credits the rising seizure rate to his officers being sensitive to the violence in the city over the past month. In that time, Vonterrell Jermall George was stabbed to death in the city's second homicide of the year, and two drive-by shootings that appear to have been gang related have occurred. Kulhawik said officers are stopping to conduct more street interviews and being "vigilant" in trying to stem the wave of violence. Fewer guns on the street "means less violence," Kulhawik said. "No. 1, the streets are safer and the police are safer by removing these guns. Even though the guns are easy to get, they are not so easily obtained that (their seizure) doesn't make an impact." Fred Paulk, whose brother Larry was shot to death one floor below his mother's Roodner Court apartment on Christmas Day, said there are too many guns. "I'm happy they are getting the guns off the street," he said, adding that people are carrying them because they feel unsafe. Meadow Gardens Tenants Association President Yolanda Dancy said she was surprised that the police have picked up so many guns in that three-week period. "The seven they have picked up is probably very little compared to what is out there. This tells us that this is very serious," said Dancy, who said Jeffrey Allan Coward was shot dead outside her window at the public housing complex on Halloween 2006. Rilling said the department will do everything it can to prosecute those arrested on gun charges to the fullest extent of the law. Numerous gun violators are being prosecuted by federal authorities as part of the city's membership in Project Safe Neighborhoods. "We are going to be pursuing all of these arrests through federal prosecution because of mandatory minimum sentences," Rilling said. One of those prosecutions probably will involve Luis Vigo, 28, of 6 Quaker Road. On July 11, Vigo, a convicted felon, was picked up just outside Roodner Court in possession of a .38-caliber revolver loaded with five bullets, Sgt. Andre Velez said. He was charged with second-degree breach of peace, criminal possession of a pistol and third-degree assault. A day earlier, police arrested three teenagers on weapon and drug charges after they allegedly dumped a loaded 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun near Norwalk Hospital. The teens, whose names were not released because they are 16 and 17, were charged with possession of a sawed-off shotgun and possession of five bags of crack cocaine. On July 8, Anthony Davis, 25, formerly of Meadow Gardens; Kristie Reda, 22, of Norwalk; and Damon Williams, 25 of Norwalk, were pulled over just outside Roodner Court. Inside the car, police found a .45-caliber Colt semi-automatic under the front passenger seat. All three were charged with criminal possession of a firearm. On July 4, a 15-year-old male was caught with a .25-caliber pistol near Washington Village, Kulhawik said. June 24 saw the arrest of Jahwara Palma, 18, of Bridgeport, and a 17-year-old Norwalk youth after an armed robbery on Woodward Avenue, Velez said. Police recovered what they believed was the loaded handgun used in the robbery. - Staff Writer John Nickerson can be reached at john.nickerson@scni.com or at 750-5307. |
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