Cops nabbed a heavily-armed 34-year-old man Thursday who threatened to cause deadly chaos at a children’s hospital in Queens, police sources said.
The NYPD responded to a call on Feb. 17 reporting a man threatening to unleash gunfire within Cohen Children’s Medical Center, at 269-01 76th Ave. in Glen Oaks, at about 12:10 p.m. on Feb. 17.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers from the 105th Precinct encountered a man matching a dispatched description of the perpetrator, identified as Thomas Saxton, outside of the hospital in his vehicle alongside multiple firearms.
Authorities said Saxton allegedly had two ghost guns in his possession. Police then obtained and later executed a search warrant of his Nassau County residence, where they found a small arsenal of very heavy firepower.
Law enforcement sources said police found within Saxton’s home nine ghost handguns, four shotguns, two rifles, two bullet proof vests, 50 extended magazines, and 1,000 rounds of ammunition. There were also several other gun parts and accessories recovered.
Saxton was taken into custody at the hospital without incident. He was subsequently charged with six counts of criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of ammunition, menacing, harassment, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of marijuana.
In recent months, local law enforcement officials have made cracking down on ghost guns a top priority in the ongoing effort to stop gun violence in New York City. Ghost guns are made of plastic and other untraceable parts, often sold in kits that the buyers can then assemble at their leisure.
As Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed out recently, the availability of ghost guns gives those outlawed from possessing firearms — such as ex-felons and spousal abusers — a way to obtain weapons while skirting the law.
