Town Man Faces Gun Possession Charges

A dispute over access to a parking spot led Greenwich Police to the discovery of several guns inside the home of the man accused of threatening his neighbor with a handgun, according to police.

According to a police report, the arrest of Raffaele LaPietra, 43, of 41 Alexander St., in the Chickahominy section of Greenwich, is accused of pulling a handgun from his holster about 5 p.m., Jan. 6 and pointing it as his neighbor Scott Karsen, also of 41 Alexander St. The pair apparently argued over access to a parking space that was blocked by the truck of a cable television installer working at Karsen's residence, according to Lt. Kraig Gray, police spokesman.

Gray said officers found that LaPietra had other guns in his home that were not secured in a locked gun safe. Gray said he would not divulge the number of or type of guns found inside the home where a child also lives. Although the guns were registered, police confiscated them, Gray said.

No one was reported injured in the incident.

LaPietra was charged with second-degree breach of peace, second-degree threatenening, second-degree reckless endangerment, failure to secure loaded firearms and risk of injury to a minor. He was released after posting $5,000 bond.

Karsen, whose age was not available, was charged with breach of peace and released on a written promise to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford. Both are scheduled to appear Jan.14.

Gray said there aren't any laws regulating the distance between the ownership of guns and the location of a school. Alexander Street is a block from the Hamilton Avenue School.