John Jefferson
Inset: Logan Rapsinski (Butler County, Pennsylvania Jail). Background: The area where Rapsinski allegedly shot his brother in the groin (WPXI).
A 22-year-old man in Pennsylvania has been arrested after he allegedly shot his older brother in the groin on Christmas Eve. Logan Rapsinski was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with one count of attempted homicide, two counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, and one count of reckless endangering of another person, records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
Officers with the Butler Township Police Department at about 10 p.m. on Dec. 24, 2024, responded to a home in the 100 block of Crosslands Road, The Butler Eagle reported. Upon arriving at the address, first responders said they found Rapsinski’s 27-year-old brother outside on the ground suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the groin.
The victim reportedly said that his brother, whom he identified as Rapsinski, had just shot him. Rapsinski was located a short distance away and placed under arrest.
In an interview with investigators, the brother said that Rapsinski earlier in the evening had left their residence in an agitated state, Pittsburgh NBC affiliate WPXI reported. The family reportedly contacted the Butler County Crisis Service for help while the victim drove around the neighborhood searching for his brother.
The brother was able to locate Rapsinski sitting in his car on a nearby street and approached him, per the Eagle. That is when Rapsinski reportedly took out a handgun, loaded the weapon, and fired one shot at his brother, striking him in the groin, and causing his brother to drop to the ground. Rapsinski then fled the scene on foot.
Following the shooting, police were able to locate Rapsinski quickly because he reportedly called 911 in connection with the shooting. Police reportedly found a .380 semiautomatic Smith & Wesson handgun on the ground near Rapsinski during his arrest.
In a post-Miranda interview, Rapsinski allegedly claimed the shooting was in self-defense. He said that his brother — who was unarmed at the time — came up to him on the street and threatened him, saying he was going to “beat his (expletive),” according to the Eagle.
The brother then asked Rapsinski, “Are you going to shoot me?” just moments before he was shot from a distance of about 14 feet. The brother was transported to Allegheny General Hospital for treatment and was reportedly listed as being in stable condition as of Thursday.
Rapsinski was transported and processed at the Butler County Jail. He is currently scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Keven P. O’Donnell on Jan. 2, 2025, records show.
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