2 wounded in drive-by shooting
Two cousins were shot Thursday morning during a drive-by shooting on Albany Street on Buffalo’s West Side.
Michael F. Laspesa IV, 25, of Harding Avenue, Angola, was struck by a shot that grazed his left palm. His cousin, Michael S. Laspesa, 31, of Mang Avenue, Kenmore, suffered a gunshot wound to his left ankle that possibly broke some bones.
Both men were treated in Erie County Medical Center.
Central District police said the two were outside on Albany Street, off Niagara Street, about 1:25 a. m. when a white car occupied by two men pulled up. Police said the front-seat passenger used a .40-caliber gun to fire multiple shots at the victims.
The car then drove away, but officers tracked it down parked at the Herkimer Street home of 21-year-old Anthony J. Easley, police said.
Officers Allen Gallagher and Thomas Nunan arrested Easley, described as the shooter, along with Devven L. Fletcher, 22, of Arkansas Street. The officers charged Easley and Fletcher with two counts of assault and one count of criminal use of a firearm.
Records show that Easley has been convicted of trespassing and harassment, while Fletcher has convictions for unauthorized use of a vehicle, criminal possession of stolen property, and disorderly conduct.
The two victims also have criminal records. Michael S. Laspesa has seven criminal court convictions for crimes including criminal possession of a controlled substance, while Michael
F. Laspesa has one conviction for unlawful possession of marijuana.
Just three months ago, Michael
S. Laspesa was involved in a fist fight following a road-rage incident, police said.
The apparent road-rage incident happened on April 10 at about 3:35 a. m. near the junction of the Kensington and Scajaquada expressways and involved a car, driven by Laspesa, and a truck occupied by two men, police reported at the time.
After one of the vehicles cut the other off, the vehicles bumped and both drivers stopped and got out, police said. Police said the fistfight then erupted between Laspesa and at least one of the men in the truck.
Laspesa suffered leg and head injuries in that scuffle.
