A man who was allegedly carrying two firearms was apprehended in Chelsea on Thursday and slapped with federal charges on Friday.
The suspect, identified as Jason Fleming, was seen at London Supermarket Smoke Shop on West 25th Street and 10th Avenue at 4:20 p.m. on Thursday with a rifle in his possession.
The criminal complaint states that Fleming entered the Chelsea bodega following a verbal altercation with a man.
Zakir Indawala, an employee, intervened when the suspect became combative with another customer.
I saw him with a rifle, and he was crying as he left, the bodega worker Zakir Indawala claimed. The firearm was a huge one, I saw it.
Fleming then showed a weapon while standing at the bodega’s entrance. Once the child got past Fleming, she bolted out of the store.
When a witness dialed 911, the police arrived. In broad daylight, Fleming started rushing down the sidewalk while brandishing a semi-automatic carbine weapon.
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Fleming ditched the rifle for the handgun and took off running until a bystander blocked his way and threw him up against a fence.
The bystander restrained Fleming until the officers who had been pursuing him could catch up and detain him.
The.357 and the gun were found.
Fleming, 39, is facing up to 15 years in jail for gun possession after a crime.
