A 31-year-old man was arrested Sunday after accidentally discharging a pistol which police determined had been stolen.
Deputy Police Chief Peter Reichard said Brian Howard, of 18 Cleveland Street, was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, criminal possession of a firearm, illegal discharge of a firearm, second-degree reckless endangerment, and second-degree breach. The arrest log at the also recorded an initial charge of carrying a firearm under the influence.
Reichard said police received a trespass complaint at the Cleveland Street address at about 9:21 p.m. While investigating the matter, they determined that Howard had arrived to retrieve a Ruger .22 caliber pistol at the residence. Reichard said the gun went off while Howard was packing it, firing a round through the floor into the first-floor bedroom. No one was injured.
After interviewing witnesses about the incident, officers determined that the gun had been moved to a Mountain Ave. address and recovered it there. They found that it had been reported stolen from a Wallingford residence.
According to state records, Howard was convicted of the felony charge of sale of a controlled substance in 2005, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm.
