Machine Gun Found in Public Area --- Suspect Arrested.
In an unrelated case, members of the Zero Tolerance team combed an area in Cay Hill on Thursday morning after receiving information stating that a weapon was somewhere in the area. Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson said when police received the information they responded immediately and managed to find a loaded firearm under a black bag with some food items.
The weapon is an automatic LUGER caliber 9 millimeter handgun. The gun was loaded with 9 millimeter bullets ready to fire, said the police spokesman. The weapon is in fact what you would call a "machine gun" because shots could be fired repeatedly from the weapon by only pulling the trigger once. The weapon was confiscated by police and handed over to Forensic Department who will run tests on the weapon. Henson said police already have a suspect in custody that may be linked to the weapon. The investigation is ongoing.
The Police Spokesman said that the weapon was found in an open and public area and it could have easily been found by a young child or children, had this happened persons could have been hurt or even killed.
The police department is urging the entire community to immediately get on board and join with police department in this ongoing battle against crime on Sint Maarten. This problem is not only a police problem, but a problem involving the entire community. Henson urged residents and citizens to continue to inform the police as it is their intention to remove all illegal weapons from the streets while ridding the island of criminal activities.