The police chased down a man in possession of a handgun on Park Avenue on Friday, according to public safety director Jerry Speziale.
Ja’Kahri Smith, 19, of Paterson, has been charged with weapons offenses and resisting arrest. He and another suspect were observed retrieving handguns and tucking them into their waistbands near a parked car on East 23rd Street near Park Avenue.
Police tried to make contact, but both suspects ran in separate directions. During the foot pursuit, the suspects discarded their handguns.
Smith was arrested after the short chase, but the second suspect got away.
Police seized a 9MM SAR 9T handgun loaded with extended magazine 17 rounds and a 380 caliber Taurus handgun loaded with 6 rounds.
Smith was processed and lodged at the Passaic County Jail.
Separately on Friday, police got information about a weapon hidden in a vacant lot on Jasper Street. They responded to the area and recovered a 7.62 caliber WASR AK assault rifle.