MANHASSET, N.Y. (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A Long Island man allegedly pointed a gun at the head of a 6-year-old boy retrieving Halloween candy from his front porch in what his attorney calls "totally a misunderstanding and a mistake."
Michael Wen, 43, faces child endangerment and menacing charges following the altercation Saturday evening in Manhasset.
Nassau County Police said it all started around 7:25 p.m. when a 42-year-old woman was driving her two sons, daughter and nephew to drop off a Halloween goody bag at a friend's house.
They rang the doorbell of a home on Rockcrest Road and left the bag full of candy on the porch before returning to their vehicle. But after driving down the block, the woman's daughter realized the candy was left at the wrong address.
They returned to the home and the woman's 6-year-old son went to retrieve the candy from the front porch, police said.
As he was getting the candy, the front door opened, Wen stepped out and pointed a black handgun at the boy's head, according to police.
Following Wen's arrest, his attorney William Zou told WCBS-TV that it was a misunderstanding.
"He just opened the door and react a little bit strongly, tell the person to get away from his property," Zou said. "By the time he realized it was a kid, he started to regret."
Zou said people have recently been banging on his client's door and running away, which is why he reacted strongly.
"I think what happened was totally a misunderstanding and a mistake," the attorney said. "He and his family has been terrorized recently by constant banging on his door."
The incident has stunned parents in the area, with one woman telling WCBS-TV, "It's supposed to be a happy, fun Halloween and something like this happens. It's terrible. It's just horrific."
"Really, really scary," another neighbor said. "And it's disturbing, especially because this is a safe neighborhood full of kids."