Two issued tickets for public drinking, gun recovered
By Jayed Rahman
Published: November 24, 2015
City police arrested a man with a loaded handgun while conducting a quality-of-life operation on East 19th Street on Monday night, said police director Jerry Speziale.
City residents Kenyah Picket, 32, and Winston Evans, 32, were outside 495 East 19th Street at about 10:15 p.m., when plainclothes police officers approached to issue summonses for public drinking, according to police.
Picket hid behind a vehicle when officers heard a thud as a suspected gun hit the ground. He began to feign being emotionally disturbed and put on a struggle against officers as they attempted to cuff him, said the director.
Officers Gomez, Duffy, and Giaquinto recovered a 32 caliber Sig Sauer handgun loaded with nine rounds and one in the chamber, said the director.
Picket was charged with public drinking, weapon offenses, and having a weapon with prior criminal record, according to police. He was taken to headquarters for processing, said the director.
Evans was issued a ticket for public drinking and released.
“These officers continuously work tirelessly in making a safer city. The broken window theory of quality of life leads to other crime is proven and has taken another weapon from our streets,” said Speziale.