Revere man, 82, charged with shooting two
Tells police they tried to break in
An 82-year-old Revere man used a rifle to shoot and wound two people he believed were breaking into his Revere home early Wednesday morning, authorities said.
Charles J. DiCino was arraigned Wednesday in Chelsea District Court, where he pleaded not guilty to possession of a firearm without having a firearms identification card, two counts of assault with intent to murder, and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, according to court records.
He was released on personal recognizance. DiCino could not be reached for comment yesterday.
According to a Revere police report, officers responded about 1:35 a.m. to DiCino’s home on Calumet Street, where they found a woman, identified as 45-year-old Evelyn O’Neil, who was bleeding from two gunshot wounds to her leg.
“He shot me,’’ O’Neil told police, and identified DiCino, who was making his way out of his single-family home, as her attacker.
Police took DiCino into custody at gunpoint.
Moments later, officers were dispatched to a nearby 7-11 store where the second victim, identified as 46-year old Joseph C. Ross, had run after being struck in the stomach by at least one bullet.
Inside DiCino’s home, police recovered a .22-caliber bolt action rifle that he allegedly used to shoot the two people from the second floor, police said.
In his report about the shooting, Officer Leo MacAskill wrote that he knew O’Neil and Ross, whom he described as homeless. The officer also said that DiCino’s property is adjacent to “marshland that is often occupied by homeless people.’’
According to the report, DiCino told police after his arrest that he saw O’Neil break a window in an attempted break-in while she was in the company of Ross.
“Mr. DiCino stated that Evelyn O’Neil had broken his window. He went on to say that Evelyn and Joe Ross were at his property earlier trying to get in,’’ MacAskill wrote.
“He stated that a call to Revere police was made. However, Mr. Ross and Ms. O’Neil ran from the residence prior to police arriving,’’ MacAskill said.
The report did not indicate whether police confirmed that the call was made or that officers had been sent to the area before the gunfire.
DiCino allegedly told police “he screwed up and shot them.’’
His attorney, John T. Haggerty of Salem, declined to comment.
O’Neil and Ross are recovering from their wounds and authorities are trying to determine whether to bring criminal charges against them, officials said.
John R. Ellement can be reached at ellement@globe.com. 