From the Rockford Register Star, a bit more detail:
"Pobjecky happened to be visiting with friend Vincenzo Tarara, whose parents own the carryout restaurant. The assailants allegedly stormed the business and pointed a handgun at Tarara.
Tarara, according to initial reports, was armed with a handgun."
This occurred in Illinois....I hope the restaurant owner doesn't get hassled for illegal carry.
3 Rockford men charged with murder in pizzeria shooting
By Jeff Kolkey
RRSTAR.COM
Posted Oct 04, 2011 @ 02:08 PM
Last update Oct 04, 2011 @ 10:08 PM
Read Jeff Kolkey's tweets from the news conference.
ROCKFORD — Winnebago County State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato has charged the men who police said went with Michael D. Sago Jr. to rob Marie’s Pizza in the 16-year-old’s death.
Sago was one of a group of four who were allegedly part of a botched armed robbery around 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the small pizza joint.
Desmond Lamar Bellmon, 23, Brandon Lewis Sago, 22, and Lamar Okeita Coates, 23, face multiple counts of first-degree felony murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and attempted armed robbery, Bruscato said a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
Police Chief Chet Epperson lamented the tragic turn of events. He said what happened at Marie’s Pizza and the swift charges should serve as a warning to would-be robbers in Rockford.
“This was just a horrible incident that happened, and it’s got to stop in the city of Rockford,” said Epperson, adding that authorities are sending a message. “Your actions have consequences. And if you are going to rob in Rockford, we are going to build a case against you.”
Off-duty Winnebago County Sheriff’s Deputy Frank Pobjecky, a U.S. Army veteran, allegedly thwarted the attempt to rob Marie’s Pizza, 1513 Charles St.
Pobjecky happened to be visiting with friend Vincenzo Tarara, whose parents own the carryout restaurant. The assailants allegedly stormed the business and pointed a handgun at Tarara.
Tarara, according to initial reports, was armed with a handgun.
A desperate struggle for control of the weapons ensued.
During the struggle, Pobjecky, 29, used Tarara’s weapon to shoot all four suspects. Sago was later declared dead at the scene. The others, including Sago’s cousin, Brandon Sago, and half brother, Coates, suffered nonlife-threatening gunshot wounds. Tarara and Pobjecky were not reported injured.
It is unclear whether Pobjecky disarmed the assailants before opening fire. Authorities declined to describe the precise chain of events, concerned that such statements could result in pretrial publicity that would damage the defendants’ chances at a fair trial.
During the news conference, authorities also declined to answer questions about which of the alleged assailants held the weapon, confirm how many weapons were present and how long it was between when they entered the restaurant and when shots were fired.
What is known about what happened during the robbery is from initial police statements.
Bruscato said although charges have been filed, the three men on Tuesday were still in the hospital recovering from gunshot wounds. He said their health was believed to be stable.
A grand jury is expected to review the charges against the three men and to consider whether the deputy was justified to open fire. Bruscato declined to say when the grand jury would consider the matters because doing so would violate rules of grand jury secrecy.
Sheriff Dick Meyers said Pobjecky is doing well given the circumstances. Meyers said the department stands in support of Pobjecky.
As is standard procedure in shootings involving officers, Pobjecky was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation and grand jury ruling.
“It’s not an easy thing to take a life, and we have to understand that officers do have adverse effects to that, and we want to make sure we offer him the opportunities to address those issues,” Meyers said.
Reach staff writer Jeff Kolkey at
jkolkey@rrstar.com or 815-987-1374.
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