Weapons cache found in East Meadow home
A 60-year-old East Meadow man called Nassau police and told them he was under attack. He reported hearing gunshot blasts all around, and said there were bodies on the floor.
But the siege was taking place only inside David Martin's head, authorities said.
As responding officers came rushing into his Rita Avenue home early Saturday, they realized Martin was suffering from some sort of psychiatric condition.
Rifles, handguns,
land mines and a bazooka was found.
They began to look around his single-story home and uncovered a stunning cache of weapons. They found two live grenades, 73 rifles, 13 handguns, land mines and thousands of rounds of ammunition. There was even a bazooka.
"He was very cooperative, but not completely with all his faculties," said Det. Lt. Raymond Cote. Martin was taken for a psychiatric evaluation at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow.
He was arraigned there on 13 misdemeanor weapons possession charges connected with the possession of the handguns. Charges may be upgraded if forensic tests on the other weapons reveal them to be operable, police said.
Martin was an avid gun collector, police said, buying his weapons at swap meets, gun shows and on eBay.
They do not think Martin planned to use his weapons in a violent act, and they said he had no prior arrests. He threatened no one, police said.
A $100,000 German machine gun was among the seized weapons.
At a news conference Monday, Nassau police spokesman Sgt. Anthony Repalone was asked to estimate the caliber of a $100,000 German machine gun that was among the seized weapons displayed on a table. "Big," Repalone said.
Neighbors expressed shock Monday that they were living so close to such a dangerous arsenal. Jane Fisher, 46, said that when it rained, Martin would open his garage door and offer to let children wait for the school bus. Many children, including Fisher's 17-year-old daughter, took him up on the offer.
"We're feeling very lucky that nothing happened," Fisher said. "He's always been friendly. You just never know."
Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2008
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