Quincy landlord accused of pointing gun at tenant over parking

QUINCY, Mass. -- A Quincy landlord is accused of threatening his tenant with a gun during a dispute over parking Wednesday.

Ben Vo, 42, was arrested on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and improper storage of a firearm.

Judy Davis, his tenant at the Vassall Street duplex, recorded part of their encounter on her cell phone, providing police with video of Vo at his front door with a gun at his side.

Davis told police and Boston 25 News Vo had pointed the gun at her after refusing to move his car, which was parked behind hers in the driveway. The video does not show Vo pointing the weapon.

"I ring the landlord’s bell, and he comes outside, and he waves his gun in my face, like, 'What do you want?'" Davis said. "And I said, 'Can you move the car?' And I look, like, 'Wait, you got a gun in my face?'"

Davis said she had called Vo about an hour before the incident and asked him to move his car so she could go to a doctor's appointment but he didn't do so. She said Vo does not allow her to park in the driveway, but she had moved her car off the street because of the snow emergency.

Vo told Boston 25 News he never pointed the gun at Davis and only had the weapon behind his back. Vo said Davis is "playing it (up)," saying she has been a troublesome tenant and he is trying to evict her.

According to court paperwork obtained by Boston 25 News, Vo initially told police he answered the door with his gun because he didn't know who was there, but later admitted he was tired and did not want to move his car.

"He said Davis parked in the driveway and this was not the first time she has done it," the police report states. "He said he worked late last night and was very tired. He did not want to move the car for her."

The investigating officer wrote he believes Vo was trying to intimidate Davis.

“Davis played the video for me. You can clearly see a black handgun in Vo’s left hand," the police report says. "I believe that Vo purposefully held the gun in the open in order to scare Davis and make her leave him alone."

Police found a black 9-millimeter gun under some clothing in Vo's closet. There was a loaded magazine in it but no round in the chamber, the police report states. The gun did not have a trigger lock on it. Vo has a license to carry.

Vo faced a judge in Quincy District Court Wednesday and is set to appear again on May 1.

TOP STORIES:

Cox Media Group