BEDFORD – A Bedford man was arrested when Bedford Police officers were called to 1820 15th Street on June 3 at 7:28 p.m. after a report of a male shooting a nail gun at people.
While en route, police learned the male with the nail gun had been tackled and taken to the ground by another male on the scene.
When police arrived they found two men laying in the roadway near 1817 15th Street.
Police were already familiar with the men from an earlier response call to the same location earlier that day. 66-year-old Richard Robbins had threatened the male caller. Robbins made the threat because he parked his vehicle on the public street in front of Robbins’ house.
That same male had Robbins in a headlock and was holding him on the ground. Officers separated the two males. Robbins had suffered a large laceration on his left arm near his elbow and was bleeding. He also complained of right arm pain and it appeared to be broken.
An ambulance was called to the scene. An officer applied gauze to Robbins’ arm to stop the bleeding.
Police say Robbins would not answer questions when asked what happened.
Police say Robbins appeared to be intoxicated. He had slurred speech and glassy eyes.
An IU LifeLine ambulance crew arrived on the scene and transported Robbins to the hospital for a medical evaluation.
Police then spoke to witnesses at the scene. They stated Robbins was suffering from several medical issues and is a recovering alcoholic. One witness said Robbins had recently been released from a rehabilitation center due to his alcoholism, but he had started drinking again and was not taking his medication, which causes Robbins to make irrational decisions.
The man who tackled Robbins told police, Robbins had shot the nail gun at him and a 2015 Ford Taurus. Others on the scene confirmed the allegations. Several witnesses videoed the incident.
The video showed Robbins standing by the vehicle and shooting the nail gun. When the male approached Robbins. Robins was still holding the nail gun and then threatened to shoot the male in the head.
The male was fearful for himself and others on the scene so he tackled Robbins attempting to disarm him. The male tackled Robbins, grabbed the nail gun, and moved it to the sidewalk. He then put Robbins in a headlock until the police arrived. This incident was also captured on video. In the video, police could hear Robbins threatening the man. The nail gun was confiscated by police and placed in evidence along with copies of the videos.
The information was forwarded to the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office and a warrant was issued for Robbins’ arrest on charges of intimidation and criminal mischief.
