KEARNY –
Following an incident last week, police reported the arrest of three young town males, one of whom allegedly had been walking around Kearny armed with a fully-loaded .380 handgun.
At 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 18, the KPD was alerted to a “disturbance” in the area of Chestnut St. and Quincy Ave. involving a half-dozen individuals, one of whom was said to be in possession of a weapon. Both patrol units and detectives responded, the first to arrive being Officer Sean Kelly and Dets. Neil Nelson and Michael Farinola.
Upon seeing the police, the pack scattered, three of them running into the rear yards on Devon St. In that group, police said, was one who matched the description of the armed male, and a foot pursuit ensued.
The officers, now also including Det. Lt. Paul Bershefski and Det. Sgt. Michael Gonzalez, apprehended the fleeing trio and brought them back to the area where they originally had been observed and where police reportedly recovered the discarded weapon.
It was described as a Hi-Point CF-380 semi-automatic pistol, fully-loaded and with one round in the chamber. Police said the serial number was found to be defaced.
Arrested were two 19-year-olds, Kysean Price (who allegedly had had the gun) and John Ramirez, and a 17-year-old male, all of them Kearny residents.
Price was charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and possession of a defaced firearm.
Ramirez, who reportedly identified himself to Farinola as “John Rodriguez,” was charged with obstruction of justice. (Farinola knew that was not his real name.) The 17-year-old was turned over to a guardian pending charges from Juvenile authorities.
— Karen Zautyk
