A Queens man kept an arsenal in his one-bedroom apartment — stockpiling 225 pounds of gunpowder, tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition, loads of bullet-making equipment, licensed handguns and assault rifles that were unsecured as well as bullet-proof vests, authorities said.
Guo Shou, 33, is accused of amassing enough deadly weapons and ammo to take on a small army, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
The Rego Park resident was arrested Tuesday and charged with first-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon after he was busted in his apartment at 65-60 Wetherole Street — which is less than two blocks away from an elementary school, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
In total, he was caught with 14 licensed handguns; two loaded, licensed shotguns; one licensed rifle; approximately 45,000 rounds of ammunition for a variety of weapons; 225 pounds of smokeless gun powder stored in various containers and open to view; unassembled parts for an AR-10 and AR-15 assault rifles, three high-capacity magazines — one fully loaded with 20 rounds and each capable of holding in excess of ten rounds of .308 caliber ammunition — two Kevlar body armor vests, six Kevlar armor plates, one ammunition press, numerous primers, empty cartridges, and several other devices and components related to weapons ammunition.
‘It is extremely disturbing to find such a lethal arsenal of this magnitude in a residential community – especially one less than two blocks from an elementary school’
- Queens District Attorney Richard Brown
“The defendant is accused of turning his apartment into an arsenal by stockpiling deadly weapons and ammunition – all laying in plain sight and unsecured,” Brown said in a statement. “It is extremely disturbing to find such a lethal arsenal of this magnitude in a residential community – especially one less than two blocks from an elementary school.”
Police were able to stumble upon the stockpile after officers conducted an administrative pistol licensee review at Shou’s apartment on Monday, prosecutors said.
Upon entering the home — which is down the street from P.S. 139 Rego Park — officers spotted the gunpowder and bullets, prompting them to obtain a search warrant and make the discovery.
“Alone, the amount of gunpowder discovered was capable of igniting and causing significant damage to not only the defendant’s apartment but to neighboring apartments and the building’s exterior walls, as well as injuring or killing anyone unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity,” Brown said.
Shou was arraigned Tuesday night and his bail was set at $250,000. He is due back in court on Feb. 24.
If convicted, Shou could spend up to seven years behind bars.