Police: SWAT team cleans out nest of armed thugs in South Boston

Boston Police report that an armed robbery on Columbia Road ended with a SWAT team going into a Pilsudski Way apartment, arresting six guys and confiscating three weapons, two with high-capacity magazines and laser sights - which a man in a wheelchair was sitting on.

Police say that around 7:07 p.m., officers responded to an armed-robbery report: A man walking on the 1100 block of Columbia Road was approached by three black males who, after making some chitchat, then demanded money. When he said he had none, the grabbed his cell phone, then fled - with the man and witnesses in pursuit. They caught up with the thugs in front of 20 Pilsudski Way and began fighting, at least until one of the thugs, who turned out to be 15, showed up with a gun, yelling "You got a problem with me?" When the victim and the do-gooders then spotted a second guy in the window with a "two-handled firearm," they fled.

Officers responding to their call eventually formed a perimeter around the building, then called in the SWAT team when somebody in the apartement saw them and pulled the shade down:

After all the appropriate personnel responded, officers were able to peacefully gained entry to the apartment, and secured all occupants. Six males and three female individuals, one of whom was a male in a wheelchair, were removed from the apartment and pat frisked for weapons. Later on, the individuals were removed from the apartment and a more thorough frisk was performed on the occupants. During a more thorough frisk of the occupants, officers discovered suspect, Edwin Prosper, who was seated in the wheelchair, sitting on three firearms."

Edwin Prosper, Jr., 22, of South Boston was charged with three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and numerous counts of unlawful possession of ammunition. Charged with armed assault with intent to rob: Jorge O. Gomez, 21, of Dorchester, Ritchie Prosper, 18, of South Boston, Jean D. Valbrun, 17, of Hyde Park, Marques R. Kersey, 18, of Dorchester, and a 15 year-old juvenile from Jamaica Plain.

Innocent, etc.