Weapons Cache Found After Man Threatened Mother And Son: Police

Nassau County police recovered a North Bellmore man's cache of weapons after they say he threatened a mother and her young son with a handgun in a 7-Eleven parking lot.

According to police, at 11 p.m. on Nov. 27, a 26-year-old woman got into a verbal argument in the parking lot of 7-Eleven, located at 1714 Newbridge Road, with Michael Ripert, 21, of Pea Pond Road. After arguing, police say that Ripert pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the woman and her 6-year-old son. The woman called 911, and while on the phone with the operator, police say that Ripert pointed his gun into the air and fired twice, then fled in a black BMW.

After an investigation, police arrested Ripert on Nov. 29 for the incident. At his home, police said they found an AK-47 rifle, 171 rounds for it, four large-capacity AK-47 magazines, a loaded pistol-grip shotgun and a Glock handgun speed loader.

During the investigation, police say they also found more weapons and ammunition at an undisclosed location. Police say they recovered a loaded Glock 9mm handgun with a large-capacity magazine, a 22-round Glock extended magazine (loaded with 21 rounds), a 34-round Glock extended magazine (loaded with 34 rounds), a 30-round AK-47 extended magazine (loaded with 29 rounds and a box of 9mm rounds.

Police say that their investigation also determined that Ripert was responsible for firing a gun multiple times on Montgomery Street in Wantagh at 1 a.m. on Oct. 28.

Ripert was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of criminal possession of a firearm, two counts of reckless endangerment, second-degree menacing, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was arraigned on Thursday in First District Court in Hempstead.

Photo courtesy Nassau County Police Department