Florence man pleads not guilty in shooting

Hampshire County Courthouse

Hampshire County Courthouse FILE PHOTO

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

Staff Writer

Published: 11-12-2024 9:06 PM

NORTHAMPTON — A Florence man who allegedly shot a woman in his home last weekend pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Hampshire District Court to a string of charges, including armed assault with intent to murder.

Michael Janik, 65, appeared before Judge Janine Simonian and also pleaded not guilty to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon; assault and battery on a family or household member; three counts of illegal possession of an assault weapon and a single count of improper storage of a firearm.

Police arrived to his home in Florence on Sunday after the shooting victim called 911.

According to Assistant District Attorney Matt Russo, Janik and the 50-year-old woman had engaged in a dispute on Sunday morning around 8:30, resulting in Janik producing a firearm and shooting the woman in the stomach with a single shot. She fled the house and called 911, after which police arrived and arrested Janik, who surrendered without incident.

Russo also said the nature of the dispute was still under investigation by police.

The woman, who is known to Janik, was transported by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and is expected to survive.

In the Northampton Police Department’s statement of facts filed in the case, the woman went across the street to a neighboring residence after calling 911 and stated that Janik may take his own life. The report states the woman appeared to have labored breathing over the phone.

Upon arriving to the scene, police spoke with Janik through an open window. They reported it took around 45 minutes for him to leave the home after he repeatedly refused requests to do so. During that time, he yelled that he wished officers would shoot and kill him, police said.

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After being placed in custody, Janik told police the shooting had been an accident, adding that he had wanted “her to pull the trigger.” He said he was arguing with the woman when she pulled away and the gun went off accidentally. Police said he also told them he had consumed a large amount of Tramadol, a painkiller.

Further investigation by Massachusetts State Police found that Janik had texted a friend following the incident, saying the he needed help, was going to kill himself and that the woman was shot.

Another State Police officer spoke with friends of the shooting victim who said they received text messages from her in October in which she said Janik destroyed her phone with a hammer after he saw her talking to a male acquaintance.

Janik and the woman gave police different accounts of the shooting as the woman told police that she tried to retreat toward the kitchen when Janik started to point the gun at her, and that she was three to four feet away from him when he shot her. Janik said she had grabbed the pistol and that it went off during the ensuing struggle, according to police.

On Tuesday, Michael Janik asked for a court-appointed lawyer to represent him in the case.

Court records from 2003 show that Janik had filed a civil case requesting that the court direct then-Easthampton Chief of Police Robert Aliberti to reinstate a license to carry a firearm. The request was denied by the court, records show.

Janik is being held without bail before returning to court on Nov. 20 for a dangerousness hearing.

Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.