WATERVLIET — Two people were arrested Sept. 9 after police responded to a disturbance involving handguns near 23rd Street and 2nd Avenue.
Officers responded just before 2 p.m. to reports of an argument between a group where witnesses observed handguns.
A 19-year-old Watervliet resident, Daheem S. Wilson, attempted to flee on foot but was taken into custody by police.
During the pursuit, Wilson was observed discarding a firearm underneath a parked vehicle.
Officers recovered the weapon, which was determined to be an un-serialized “ghost gun” that had been illegally modified with a Glock switch.
The loaded firearm was also equipped with a high-capacity ammunition feeding device.
An investigation determined that a second individual had also been armed during the original disturbance.
With the assistance of community members and video surveillance, officers identified the suspect as a 16-year-old male from Watervliet.
A search warrant was executed, resulting in the recovery of another loaded 9mm handgun.
The juvenile was subsequently taken into custody.
A Glock switch is an unlawful modification device that transforms a semi-automatic Glock handgun into a fully automatic weapon, enabling continuous firing with one trigger pull.
The ATF categorizes these components as machine gun conversion equipment, making them federally banned under U.S. law.
Wilson was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd Degree and Criminal Possession of a Firearm.
Wilson was arraigned in Watervliet City Court and remanded to the Albany County Correctional Facility.
The 16-year-old male was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd Degree.
The juvenile was arraigned by Albany County Family Court and was remanded to Capital District Secure Detention Facility.
