This wasn’t a sophisticated criminal operation.
Recently, two officers on patrol at a Brooklyn subway station had a shocking experience when a loaded Luger pistol fell to the ground at their feet.
The individual quickly picked it up and dashed away, stumbling down the stairs in the process.
Eventually, police managed to apprehend 39-year-old Stanley Spencer following a slip-up at Pennsylvania Avenue Station around 3:30 PM on May 2.
“He likely tried to readjust the gun in his waistband, which led to it slipping out,” suggested Michael Alcazar, a retired NYPD detective and part-time professor at John Jay College.
Spencer fell while trying to run down the station stairs but attempted to conceal the 9mm firearm beneath a car.
According to the complaints submitted to law enforcement and the Brooklyn Crown Court, the gun was loaded with seven rounds.
Police confirmed that Spencer is facing charges for gun possession.
Reports indicate he has a history of 14 prior arrests, which have all been sealed, including a previous weapon possession charge.
Overall, gun arrests in the subway system have decreased by 28% compared to this time last year, according to NYPD statistics.
Alcazar mentioned that the increased police presence in the metro area, as directed by Chief Jessica Tish, is helping deter crime.
“We think that the number of gun arrests will correlate with having more officers in the subway,” Alcazar remarked. “I wouldn’t want to risk getting caught while carrying a weapon.”
