Police in New York City apprehended a man who was in possession of a firearm, eight loaded magazines, an NYPD vest, and other weaponry.
CNN reported: The New York Police Department (NYPD) is probing whether a man detained in Queens on Wednesday had intentions to execute an assault before being apprehended and discovered with firearms, loaded magazines and more, according to police authorities apprised of the situation.
Cops encountered Judd Sanson after noticing a darkened license plate on the black Ford Explorer he was steering around 1:30 am, as per NYPD. As events unfolded, authorities discovered a substantial stash of weapons, handcuffs, NYPD uniform accessories, and a New York City subway attire, according to Jeffrey B. Maddrey, NYPD's Chief of Department.
Sanson, age 27, was apprehended and now confronts accusations of criminal firearm possession, possessing a weapon, unlawful ammunition feed device possession, and an obscured license plate, NYPD disclosed in an email to CNN.
CNN is endeavoring to ascertain whether Sanson holds legal representation.
The police investigation unveiled a .9mm Glock, 100 rounds of ammunition, a stun gun, various knives, a weighted whip, an expandable truncheon, heavy body armor, and two axes, Maddrey divulged.
Maddrey stated, "It's too early for us to determine if this is terrorism-related."
"We're going to be meticulous with this investigation," Maddrey underscored at a news conference. "It'll be overseen by the detective bureau along with our intel unit to ascertain what else we can ascertain about this arrest."
It was mentioned that the man possessed a bulletproof vest with an NYPD label on the chest and an orange MTA vest - typically donned by subway workers in New York City. Officers exposed these items during Wednesday's news conference, as well as a mask popularized in the film "V for Vendetta."
NYPD officials revealed investigators from its Intelligence Division and the Joint Terrorism Task Force were summoned as a result of the cavalcade of weaponry, gun, plentiful ammunition, and vests bearing police and subway logos. Furthermore, investigators scrutinized scribblings discovered in the vehicle and on social media, they said.
"Investigators from the NYPD's Intelligence Division and the Joint Terrorism Task Force were roped in due to the array of weapons, gun, vast ammunition, and vests marked with police and transit emblems," divulged police officials conversant with the probe.
Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized officials are vigilant, yet she could not confirm if Sanson planned an assault.
"We don't condone this conduct, this is unlawful, and I've faith in our framework to ensure the perpetrator is prosecuted and penalized to the maximum allowable extent," Hochul proclaimed to CNN during a dialogue with Laura Coates Wednesday night.
"This is shortsighted in the State of New York, it's disconcerting, but it's critical to comprehend that the police are on guard. We'll provide more data as we can release it to the public," she stated.
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In light of the police investigation, it was crucial for authorities to determine if Judd Sanson, the apprehended individual, had any associates within the law enforcement or transit sectors in New York City, considering the NYPD vest, orange MTA vest, and other police-related items found in his possession [us].
Concerned by the discovery of these police and transit-related items, the NYPD's Intelligence Division and the Joint Terrorism Task Force were brought in to assist in the investigation, as they believed it was necessary to thoroughly investigate any potential connections or links to other organizations or individuals [us].