He fights fires in the day but last night it was a gang of teenage boys armed with, what he thought were real guns that Holman Katanegie fought off. We know now that the gun used was nothing more than a toy gun which can be bought at just about any Chinese shop for $7. Last night however that toy gun was used to pull off a real crime. Around 9:30 the 23 year old was walking along with his girlfriend when they were approached by three young men on bicycles near the corner of Eve Street and Marine Parade. Katanegie, who is a trained policeman, told us what happened next.
Holman Katanegie,Fought off Robbers
"One of the guys pulled out a handgun, what I believed was a handgun, and he asked me for my cell phone and when I started giving him the phone, when he stretched for the phone, I grabbed him around the neck and we struggled for the gun and the gun fell and when it fell I realized it wasn't a real gun and then I just held him there until the police came."
Keith Swift,
Why did you decide to fight back?
Holman Katanegie,
"At first I thought the gun was real and I was really scared and I didn't want anyone to get hurt, I didn't want to get hurt, and I just needed to try and get a hold of the gun so he couldn't use it had the gun been real. I just had to do what I thought was the best thing to do. I know I could have gotten real hurt had the other two guys decide to do something but fortunately they were afraid and they didn't do anything."
Keith Swift,
Would you do it again?
Holman Katanegie,
"I would say given the time and circumstances I would do it again."
Three young men have been charged with attempted robbery. One suspect is 16, the other is 15 years old, and the third is 18-year-old Brandon Fortune. Police believe the 15 year old was the gunman. All three are from Katanegie's neighborhood. We should note that in their statement to police one of the suspects revealed that one of them did have a real gun. Katanegie now works with the Fire Department but is considering rejoining the ranks of the Police Department.
