Student Pummels Would-Be Robber
POSTED: 10:03 am MST November 7,
2008
UPDATED: 5:01 pm MST November 7,
2008
PHOENIX -- ASU student Alex Botsios said he had no problem giving a nighttime intruder his wallet and guitars.When the man asked for Botsios' laptop, however, the first-year law student drew the line."I was like, 'Dude, no -- please, no!" Botsios said. "I have all my case notes…that's four months of work!"Police said Gabriel Saucedo entered Botsios' apartment through an open window early Thursday morning. When Botsios woke up, Saucedo threatened him with a baseball bat, police said."He was just like, 'I'm going to smash your head in,'" Botsios said.At that point, the law student wrestled the bat away and began punching Saucedo, Botsios said."I basically grabbed him and threw him this way, and he held onto the bat so it threw him to the ground," he said.Police said they took Saucedo to the hospital for stitches before they arrested him on charges of armed robbery and kidnapping. Other than a bruised knuckle and a few scratches, Botsios was unharmed.Janet Botsios, Botsios' mother, said she took the first flight from Texas as soon as she heard what happened."I'm like putting my face in my hands, and I just couldn't believe it," she said. "I was like, 'Oh my God.' I'm so glad he watched all those police shows his whole life … He knew how to take care of himself … I'm very, very, very proud of him."Alex Botsios said he learned one lesson from the incident: don't leave windows open.Otherwise, he said he is happy that his laptop is unharmed."It's my baby," he said. "Don't mess with my computer."
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