A North Bergen man faces a litany of criminal charges after he allegedly fired a gun in a parking lot early one morning last week.
The 62-year-old man is alleged to have fired the weapon outside his residence at the North Bergen Housing Authority building.
Inside, law enforcement officials say they found firearms and illegal drugs. He now faces charges ofpossessing a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, possessing hollow-point bullets, two counts of possession of high-capacity ammunition magazines, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, possession of suspected CDS (crack), and possession of handcuffs.
A resident of the housing complex called authorities after hearing a gunshot just before 7:30 in the morning. Housing officials then searched surveillance video and were able to identify the man as he allegedly fired the firearm in the underground parking lot of the complex at 6115 Granton Ave.
Less than two hours later, the man was arrested in his apartment.
It was there that police found a pair of handguns, a rifle, ammunition, a shotgun barrel and a white powder believed to be an illegal drug.
The weapons and drug charges he faces certainly carry the potential for significant jail time.
There are some broad guidelines anyone interested in purchasing and possessing a weapon in New Jersey should be familiar with. For instance, you should know that in order to buy a firearm, you must have a state firearms purchaser ID card.
People prohibited from getting the cards include the following:
- Anyone convicted of a crime
- Anyone who fits the legal definition of a "drug dependent person"
- Anyone confined to a mental institution
Please note that there are further restrictions and exceptions to the state statutes.
Resource: NJ.com: "North Bergen police say 62-year-old shooting handgun outside his Housing Authority building draws response and search finds several weapons, ammo and some drugs"; by Jean-Pierre Mestanza: February 19, 2011