Long Island man, 58, is arrested for threatening to shoot up Jewish children's day camp 'with a friggin' machine gun' after complaining that kids weren't following COVID-19 social distancing
- New York man Nicola Pelle, 58, was arrested and charged with making terroristic threats for threatening to shoot up a Jewish children's day camp
- On Monday he reported a COVID-19 social distancing violation at Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island's children's camp in Long Island
- He called claiming there were 500 students not wearing masks
- He called a second time as police were en route saying: 'If I gotta go out there with a friggin' machine gun and shoot all these people, I will'
- Cops found about 30 kids at the camp with their parents
- Police seized 14 weapons as evidence, including five handguns, rifles, shotguns, and two assault weapons, all of which were legal except for one
A New York man has been arrested for threatening to shooting up a Jewish children’s day camp because kids weren’t social distancing.
Nicola Pelle, 58, of Inwood, Long Island called police threatening to go to the Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island's children's camp with a 'friggin' machine gun' to 'shoot at all these people' on Monday.
He first called police to report coronavirus social distancing violation at the camp on Monday.
He reported there were 'approximately 500 students wearing no masks,' cops said.
When officers were on their way to the center, Pelle called a second time allegedly threatening to 'get a gun and shoot' if the police didn’t arrive quickly.
'If I gotta go out there with a friggin' machine gun and shoot all these people, I will,' he allegedly said in the call.
New York man Nicola Pelle, 58, was arrested and charged with making terroristic threats for threatening to shoot up a Jewish children's day camp in Long Island on Monday
Police seized 14 weapons as evidence, including five handguns, rifles, shotguns, and two assault weapons, officials said. All were legal except for a Bushmaster .223 rifle, which is illegal under the New York State Safety Act
Another view of the arms found at Pelle's home and seized by police above
He made both complaints to the county health department, according to WABC.
Officers found about 30 children with their parents at the camp on Monday.
Nassau County police identified Pelle, who lives next door to the yeshiva, as the caller and he admitted to making the call, and was arrested, it was announced Tuesday.
Police seized 14 weapons as evidence, including five handguns, rifles, shotguns, and two assault weapons, officials said.
All were legal except for a Bushmaster .223 rifle, which is illegal under the New York State Safety Act because it has a pistol grip and a detachable clip. Pelle has a valid Nassau County Pistol Permit.
He was charged with making a terroristic threat and four counts of criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm - all felonies, according to ABC News.
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Nassau County police identified Pelle, who lives next door to the yeshiv (above), as the caller and he admitted to making the call and was arrested
'Our officers did an outstanding job by questioning the subject, getting him to admit that he did make that complaint and did make the threat to shoot the school up, and then going in and recovering the weapons,' Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Patrick Ryder said Tuesday
'Our officers did an outstanding job by questioning the subject, getting him to admit that he did make that complaint and did make the threat to shoot the school up, and then going in and recovering the weapons,' Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at a press conference Tuesday.
Pelle, who runs a landscaping business, posted bail and was taken home by ambulance. He is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
The yeshiva’s principal Rabbi Tzvi Krigsman Menahel said he was 'very thankful' for the quick police response.
'They’ve been extremely informative, transparent, and we are very thankful to them, and we feel secure and we're confident in the safety of our children and staff,' he said.
