A Virginia man well known to police here because of his numerous arrests in the city was found to be carrying a gun and drugs Wednesday at a South Norwalk public housing project, police said.
Members of a Special Services street team, patroling in an unmarked car, said they spotted Antoine Douglas Laws walking out of Roodner Court, 261 Ely Ave., at 5:03 p.m. and parked their car in front of him.
Laws ran when the first officer exited the car, according to the team's reports. Laws allegedly was grabbing his left hip, which the officers said was an indication he was carrying a handgun.
One of the officers chased him into building 12 and reported he could hear Laws in the third-floor hallway pounding on an apartment door and yelling to be let in. He said when he reached the third floor, Laws seemed to be standing up and moving away from a milk crate in the hallway.
The officer said he ordered Laws to the ground, but he refused to comply and scuffled with the officer. The officer said he punched Laws several times and then shot him with a Taser stun gun to gain control of him.
Laws was transported to Norwalk Hospital to have the Taser prongs removed. Back at the scene, an officer reported he found a handgun in the milk crate.
When he was processed at police headquarters, Laws was strip searched and allegedly found to be carrying a clear bag containing several pieces of crack cocaine.
Police said the gun found, a .25-caliber ACP made by Phoenix Arms, had been stolen in Delray, Florida. It contained seven cartridges, including one in the chamber, and had its serial number partially filed off, police said.
Laws, 26, of 5625 Gravelbrook Dr., Richmond, was charged with illegal possession of a pistol, possession of a gun without a permit, theft of a firearm, altering a firearm's identification, interferring with an officer, first-degree criminal trespass, possession of narcotics, illegal manufacture, distribution or sale of a narcotic, and possession or sale of narcotics within 1,500 feet of a school.
On the police arrest log, Laws was shown to reside at 120 Clinton Ave. in Bridgeport.
During his arraignment Thursday afternoon in state Superior Court in Norwalk, a representative from the state Bail Commissioner's office noted Laws has prior convictions in Norwalk for second- and third-degree burglary, sale of hallucinogens, theft of a firearm and illegal operation of a motor vehicle.
Laws also has two pending cases in Norwalk on charges of possession or sale of narcotics, and operating a motor vehicle under suspension.
Judge Bruce Hudock set Laws' bond at $200,000 and scheduled him to return to court June 29.
