SAN MATEO, CA - Authorities said that a father allegedly fired is gun at a car occupied by a group of teenagers that had been bullying his daughter. The father now faces multiple charges for what prosecutors are calling an "unreasonable and dangerous response."
The shooting incident occurred, according to ABC7, early Sunday, May 25th when officers went to investigate a "shooting into an occupied vehicle stemming from alleged bullying and/or harassment." The San Mateo Police Department (SMPD) said that 54-year-old Craig Steven Miceli has been arrested and is facing multiple charges.
"It's the response that's the crime. You do not get to take a firearm out and point it at a car with human beings in it and fire," San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe revealed. He also said that Miceli is facing five different felony charges, including assault with a firearm and shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, according to ABC News.
Prosecutors allege that Miceli shot two rounds down the street at a car filled with three teenage boys. Moments before, those boys were said to have been throwing eggs at the man's house. Wagstaffe said, "He said he was just trying to shoot at the tires, but one of those went into the passenger side of it where the three boys were located. Fortunately, they were not hit."
The incident comes a few days after the same group of teenage boys allegedly poured canola oil outside the steps of the man's house. Miceli told police that his daughter attends school with the boys and was the victim of bullying. Following the shooting incident, Miceli turned himself into police, who also did a search of his house.
"They did find a variety of ammunition and an illegal automatic rifle," Wagstaffe said. "So, he is also charged with the illegal possession of an automatic rifle." To those who live in the neighborhood, the shooting incident came as a shock to many. Robert Gonzales said that police knocked on his door around 1:00 a.m. He said, "We've been here 50 years and have never had any incidents at all, ever."
Michael Chadd, another neighbor, said he noticed a police presence for days following the shooting incident. He said that while he condemns the suspect shooting at the car, he worries about the real life ramifications that bullying can have. He said, "Bullying is something, according to my own understanding, that's not always something that's followed up on correctly. And when incidents are reported, it doesn't get nipped in the bud so to speak."
While the incident plays out through the legal system, Wagstaffe said he hopes the teenage boys have also learned a lesson, adding, "One prays that they've got sufficient brainpower to understand they were lucky, and luck doesn't always happen." Miceli pleaded not guilty to all charges during his arraignment on Tuesday, May 27th. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 9th.
"The impact of bullying in this situation, and many other situations like it, will likely continue to significantly impact the involved parties for some time," SMPD said while acknowledging that no one was injured in the incident.The department urged those experiencing bullying to contact it for support "to help prevent another potentially tragic event from occurring."
