She won’t face charges

A woman who police say shot her boyfriend after he battered her and held her captive for several hours in Thousand Oaks Friday night will not see any time behind bars, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said.

“She’s been released from the hospital and will not be arrested,” said Sgt. Eric Buschow. “She had every right to defend herself in the situation.”

Police received a call just after midnight Sept. 29 regarding a domestic violence incident in which someone had been shot. While responding to the Los Robles Apartment complex in the 300 block of Rolling Oaks Drive, deputies came across Raphael Bhatti, 25, in his car on Moorpark Road near the 101 Freeway.

He was covered in blood and told the deputies he’d just been shot by his girlfriend, police said.

While the deputies attended to Bhatti, other officers went to the apartment to contact the girlfriend.

During the course of an investigation, detectives learned Bhatti had battered the woman, causing serious injury, threatened to kill her while pointing a gun at her and sexually battered her while holding her against her will for several hours in his apartment, police said.

“There was a moment where he was distracted and she was able to get his gun,” Buschow said. “Who knows what would have happened if she hadn’t. It was bad.”

Detectives also learned that Bhatti, a convicted felon, has an extensive criminal history in the state of Virginia, where he is from, and in Maryland, according to a statement issued by the sheriff’s office.

During a search of Bhatti’s apartment, police found evidence consistent with the girlfriend’s statement and two firearms, one of which had been reported stolen from Prince William County, Va., the department said.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Bhatti was still receiving treatment at the hospital for his nonlife threatening injuries.

He will be arrested on suspicion of multiple felonies upon his release from care, Buschow said.