BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced 65-year-old Antonio Roman of Buffalo was arraigned Friday on an indictment charging him with one count of first-degree assault and one count of first-degree reckless endangerment.
According to the district attorney's office, the retired Buffalo Police officer believed a group of teenagers were stealing from vehicles outside the Marine Drive Apartment complex on February 8. Roman tells 7 News he shot one of the teenagers in self-defense, after the teenager approached his vehicle wearing a mask and holding something at his side.
"The allegations here are that the 14-year-old boy was coming out from behind a truck, had a little screw driver in his hand, and the defendant allegedly shot first and asked questions later," said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn. "We can't have that in our society. You can't have individuals take the law in their own hands and use deadly physical force."
The 14-year-old victim was taken to Oishei Children's Hospital where he underwent surgery.
A return date for Roman has not been scheduled. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
