A man armed with a gun and other weapons was arrested following a traffic stop in Queens in which officers also found threatening writings with him, according to law enforcement sources.
“You gonna learn today” was one of the written messages found during the traffic stop, sources told NBC New York. NYPD officials would not confirm the details of any written messages citing an ongoing investigation.
The man was driving a Ford Explorer with obscured windows and a blacked-out license plate around 1:30 a.m. at 86th and Ditmars in East Elmhurst on Wednesday morning, police said. Officers patrolling in the area pulled the man over because of the unclear license plate and that's when they discovered the items in his car, according to the NYPD.
During a news conference Wednesday afternoon, police officials said the suspect had on him:
- A .9-mm Glock handgun
- 9 loaded magazines
- Heavy body armor
- NYPD uniform items
- Stun gun
- Weighted whip
- Handcuffs
- 2 axes
- NYC Transit vest
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According to a photo released by police, the suspect also had a mask made popular by the movie "V for Vendetta" in his possession. Police said the loaded firearm was found underneath the driver's seat, and the knife was found on the driver. A further search of the vehicle uncovered three additional knives, two axes, two daggers, a ballistic vest and eight loaded magazines.
The NYPD has the lead on the investigation at this time but the NY Joint Terrorism Task Force and other law enforcement agencies have been notified given some of the other statements law enforcement found and other evidence gathered.
Investigators were looking into whether the individual, identified by police as 27-year-old Judd Sanson, has a history of emotional issues or may have been trying to self-radicalize in the name of terrorism.
The investigation is still in its early stages, as investigators work to see if there is any clarity as to why the suspect had the weapons. The suspect was being held at a police precinct in Elmhurst.
He is expected to be charged with criminal possession of a weapon (loaded firearm), criminal possession of a weapon, unlawful possession of ammo feed device, and obscured license plate, according to an NYPD spokesperson.
It's too early to know the man's motive and if there was any terrorist-related intent, according to NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey.
