Former Pelham police chief Edward Fleury charged with pointing gun at man outside bar

[Dakine10 5,452]

Ladies and gentlemen ... Ed Fleury, former police chief, gun safety instructor, and complete moron. You might remember him as as the guy running the gun show where the 8 year old blew his head off with an uzi. You might remember him as the gun safety instructor who almost shot one of his students with a loaded rifle. Or more likely, you have never heard of him before.

Anyway he's a lucky guy. He lives in America. It's no crime to be stupid. It's not a crime to be stupid anywhere in the world, but for some reason we're just more tolerant of it here. So it's all good. He'll get his guns back sooner or later. It his right as an American. And that trumps being a dumbass.

'What a stupid thing to do, Ed': Former Pelham police chief Edward Fleury charged with pointing gun at man outside bar

Edward Fleury, seen here during his 2011 trial for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Christopher Bizilj, has been charged with threatening a man with a gun outside the Belchertown VFW post. (File photo / The Republican)

BELCHERTOWN – Former Pelham Police Chief Edward Fleury, who resigned in 2008 after an 8-year-old boy fatally shot himself at a Westfield gun show he sponsored, has been charged with pointing a loaded gun at a friend outside a Belchertown bar last month.

Fleury, 57, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a firearm while intoxicated.

Fleury was arraigned on the charges Sept. 11 in Eastern Hampshire District Court, according to the office of Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan. Fleury was released on his personal recognizance and ordered to keep away from the man and the Belchertown VFW on Pelham Road, which is where the Aug. 2 assault reportedly occurred.

He was also ordered to surrender all handguns, firearms and shotguns that he owns to the police for the duration of the court case. It was not clear Monday night what number that was. According to police, all of his weapons are properly registered.

He is due back in court on Oct. 10.

The alleged victim, Peter Teraspulsky of Pelham, identified himself as a friend of Fleury. But, according to the police report, he told police "Fleury pointed a loaded gun at him" sometime around midnight Aug. 2 outside the VFW post. Teraspulsky said it appeared to be a .40-caliber Glock handgun. The report says Teraspulsky could not tell if Fleury had his finger on the trigger, but he could see the crimson red light from a laser. "Teraspulsky said Ed activated his crimson trace red laser sighting device and pointed the laser in the center of my chest," according to the police report. He told police he did not feel he was necessarily in danger, but he felt nervous. According to the report, Teraspulsky remembered thinking "What a stupid thing to do, Ed."

A witness who was standing nearby told police that she did not see the gun in Fluery's hand, but she could see the red dot of a laser sight on Teraspulsky's chest, according to police reports.

Fleury, the police report notes "had been consuming beer the entire night in tall beer glasses."

If convicted of the charges, Fleury could face up to five years in prison, and a $5,000 fine.

Fleury was previously charged but acquitted of involuntary manslaughter and three counts of furnishing a machine gun to a minor following the Oct. 26, 2008, shooting death of Christopher Bizilj, of Ashford, Conn. The town police chief since 1991, Fleury resigned shortly after the shooting.

Bizilj, 8, died after shooting himself in the head with a fully automatic machine gun during a gun show at the Westfield Sportsman's Show. Fleury was the show's sponsor. A jury found him innocent of the charges on Jan. 14, 2011.

Fleury could not be reached for comment regarding the newest charges. His lawyer, Zoe Zeichner of Northampton, when contacted replied "I have no comment at this time."

Teraspulsky, 56, told The Republican on Monday afternoon he regretted the legal action pending against Fleury, whom he said has been his friend for more than 20 years.

"I feel really bad about the whole thing. He was just joking around," he said. "And it is going to end up costing him an awful lot.

"I feel bad about it costing him anything if lawyers are involved. They tend to cost money," he said.

According to the Belchertown police report, Belchertown police learned of the incident when the current Pelham police Chief Gary Thomann notified Belchertown Chief Francis Fox.

Thomann had been told of the incident by Teraspulsky but he referred him to the Belchertown police because it was said to have taken place in Belchertown.

Teraspulsky was interviewed by police at the Belchertown police station on Aug. 14.

Fleury was called into the Belchertown police on Sept. 11, and at that time arrested, according to documents.

Teraspulsky said that the incident outside the bar has unnerved him. He said that since then, he has gone from smoking a single pack of cigarettes a day to smoking four packs.

"Boy did that weird me out. That was so inappropriate. Weapons are unlike anything in the entire universe. They are not toys. He should not have done that."

Republican reporter Patrick Johnson contributed to this report.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Ban alcohol!

Oh and cigarettes as well!

Edited October 17, 2014 by Jacque67

[Dakine10 5,452]

Ban alcohol!

Oh and cigarettes as well!

I wonder though, if we can't ban guns and we can't ban stupid people, couldn't we at least, after this many chances, figure out some way to keep them separated.

[Jacque67 7,328]

I wonder though, if we can't ban guns and we can't ban stupid people, couldn't we at least, after this many chances, figure out some way to keep them separated.

Impossible.

[Ban Hammer 13,669]

maybe his friend was a glock blocker?

[Teddy B 17,252]

I wonder though, if we can't ban guns and we can't ban stupid people, couldn't we at least, after this many chances, figure out some way to keep them separated.

Sadly segregating stupid people from their "God given rights" would be discrimination.

[Dakine10 5,452]

maybe his friend was a glock blocker?

I'm not so sure about the friend either. Four packs a day at 56 years old. Not too far fown the road and he's probably going to be wishing old Ed had just pulled the trigger.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Sadly segregating stupid people from their "God given rights" would be discrimination.

Well maybe they could just get a room then? One without a door if possible. Might even be happier that way.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Teraspulsky said it appeared to be a .40-caliber Glock handgun

I wish i has this fellows eyesight .....Midnight in the dark .. right down to the caliber. It was not a 9mm but a .40

[Dakine10 5,452]

Teraspulsky said it appeared to be a .40-caliber Glock handgun

I wish i has this fellows eyesight .....Midnight in the dark .. right down to the caliber. It was not a 9mm but a .40

Glad to see you got all the important points out of the article.

[Teddy B 17,252]

Glad to see you got all the important points out of the article.

Effin crazy innit?

[Dakine10 5,452]

Effin crazy innit?

Yeah, scared of a virus that has to get within a couple of feet to hurt you, but no problem with a armed drunk guy who would give an uzi to an 8 year old. I understand now where the term batshit crazy comes from. Cause sometimes regular crazy just aint good enough.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Teraspulsky said it appeared to be a .40-caliber Glock handgun

I wish i has this fellows eyesight .....Midnight in the dark .. right down to the caliber. It was not a 9mm but a .40

Maybe he was a bit nervous having a gun being pointed at him. I think that is more important than the make of the weapon.

[Darnell 8,479]

maybe his friend was a glock blocker?

aaaaaaah.

I'm not a glock blocker - I'm a glock blocker's mate !

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I wonder though, if we can't ban guns and we can't ban stupid people, couldn't we at least, after this many chances, figure out some way to keep them separated.

We can't do that. It would make sense. And it would say that we actually value life in this country. And that we care. We'll have none of this. This is Murka,damnit!