Police: Panhandler displayed gun when rebuffed at Roxbury Crossing; says he was just joshing

Transit Police report arresting a Roxbury man on a charge of armed robbery for an incident around 2:15 p.m. on Saturday at the Roxbury Crossing Orange Line station.

According to police, Edgardo Rodriguez, 32, went up to two people buying CharlieTickets at a fare machine and asked them for some money.

The victims declined Rodruguez' request and he responded by lifting up his shirt to display the handle of a firearm protruding from his waistband.

The victims became frightened and were able to exit the station without turning over their possessions and provided responding officers with a detailed description. Transit Police officers conducted an area search and located Rodriguez in the 600 block of Parker Street where they recovered a replica firearm from his possession. Rodriguez was positively identified by the victims and placed into custody and transported to Transit Police HQ for the arrest booking process. Rodriguez stated to the arresting officers "I was only playing with them."

Innocent, etc.