Teh One Who Knocks
08-21-2013, 10:45 AM
By Kevin P. Connolly and Henry Pierson Curtis, Sun Sentinel Staff Writers
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The father of a 15-year-old Osceola County boy charged with murder let his son pick out the weapon used in two killings and more than 20 shootings this summer, according to police records.
The information was released Tuesday when Kissimmee police announced they had issued a warrant for Lothar Schafer's arrest on charges of allowing his son Konrad access to the .45-caliber, Hi-Point carbine — even after learning the boy had been sneaking it out of the house to go shooting.
Lothar Schafer was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail Tuesday evening.
He took the boy to Mega Gun and Armory, the Kissimmee shop where he bought the gun, a day before a series of shootings began in June and July across the county, records state.
"The rifle was used in multiple shooting incidents in Osceola County ... including in the shooting death of 17-year-old David Guerrero,'' a police statement said.
During the investigation, detectives learned about the trip to the gun shop, and "Lothar acknowledged Konrad is the one who selected the firearm for him to purchase," according to the arrest affidavit.
The father also told police he bought the carbine and 100 rounds of ammunition because his son "was having problems with unidentified subjects in Poinciana, Florida," records state. And in a separate interview, the son told police that he regularly took the carbine from his father's house.
"Lothar learned of one of Konrad's shootings and took the firearm away from him," the affidavit stated. "However, Konrad was able to access it again and continue to commit shootings with it. … Konrad admitted to retrieving the firearm from Lothar's residence, and using it to commit multiple shootings as well as the murder of David Guerrero."
Based on those admissions, Lothar Schafer faces a felony charge of culpable negligence for allegedly leaving a loaded firearm within easy access of a minor who uses it to injure or kill someone, records show. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of allowing unlawful possession of a firearm.
The younger Schafer is being tried as an adult and is facing two counts of first-degree murder in the June shooting death of David Guerrero and subsequent killing in July of 22-year-old Eric Roopnarine.
Schafer and his three co-defendants — Victoria Rios, 17; David Damus, 20; and Juan Muriel, 20 — all face charges of first-degree murder after being indicted by a grand jury.
Schafer's murder trial is set to begin Dec. 2, records show. After his arrest, Konrad Schafer told police he shot and killed David Guerrero for "fun" around dawn June 26 while the teen walked to a bus stop on his way to work.
Damus is charged with using the same weapon to kill Roopnarine with Schafer's assistance during a home invasion the night of July 3 at the victim's home in Poinciana.
Orange-Osceola State Attorney Jeff Ashton has said he intends to personally prosecute the four co-defendants.
http://i.imgur.com/yR3pWrF.png
The father of a 15-year-old Osceola County boy charged with murder let his son pick out the weapon used in two killings and more than 20 shootings this summer, according to police records.
The information was released Tuesday when Kissimmee police announced they had issued a warrant for Lothar Schafer's arrest on charges of allowing his son Konrad access to the .45-caliber, Hi-Point carbine — even after learning the boy had been sneaking it out of the house to go shooting.
Lothar Schafer was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail Tuesday evening.
He took the boy to Mega Gun and Armory, the Kissimmee shop where he bought the gun, a day before a series of shootings began in June and July across the county, records state.
"The rifle was used in multiple shooting incidents in Osceola County ... including in the shooting death of 17-year-old David Guerrero,'' a police statement said.
During the investigation, detectives learned about the trip to the gun shop, and "Lothar acknowledged Konrad is the one who selected the firearm for him to purchase," according to the arrest affidavit.
The father also told police he bought the carbine and 100 rounds of ammunition because his son "was having problems with unidentified subjects in Poinciana, Florida," records state. And in a separate interview, the son told police that he regularly took the carbine from his father's house.
"Lothar learned of one of Konrad's shootings and took the firearm away from him," the affidavit stated. "However, Konrad was able to access it again and continue to commit shootings with it. … Konrad admitted to retrieving the firearm from Lothar's residence, and using it to commit multiple shootings as well as the murder of David Guerrero."
Based on those admissions, Lothar Schafer faces a felony charge of culpable negligence for allegedly leaving a loaded firearm within easy access of a minor who uses it to injure or kill someone, records show. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of allowing unlawful possession of a firearm.
The younger Schafer is being tried as an adult and is facing two counts of first-degree murder in the June shooting death of David Guerrero and subsequent killing in July of 22-year-old Eric Roopnarine.
Schafer and his three co-defendants — Victoria Rios, 17; David Damus, 20; and Juan Muriel, 20 — all face charges of first-degree murder after being indicted by a grand jury.
Schafer's murder trial is set to begin Dec. 2, records show. After his arrest, Konrad Schafer told police he shot and killed David Guerrero for "fun" around dawn June 26 while the teen walked to a bus stop on his way to work.
Damus is charged with using the same weapon to kill Roopnarine with Schafer's assistance during a home invasion the night of July 3 at the victim's home in Poinciana.
Orange-Osceola State Attorney Jeff Ashton has said he intends to personally prosecute the four co-defendants.