An off-duty NYPD 911 operator accustomed to receiving emergency calls, couldn’t make one herself this afternoon when a man with two guns onboard an S-40 bus on Staten Island’s Richmond Terrace had her in sight.

At 1:15 p.m. today, Police Communications Technician Coryse Hercules, 28, noticed another passenger’s eyes widen as she saw an 18-year old seated across from her move a handgun from his pants to his backpack. Ms. Hercules, who was seated two seats away from the suspect on the same side of the bus, also heard the woman across from her whisper to a boyfriend “he’s got a gun.” The teen heard her too, and then made an announcement of his own: “Calm down. It’s not serious. I carry it for protection.” Ms. Hercules wasn’t convinced.

Realizing that by picking up her iPhone to call her place of employment at that moment might not end well for her and others among the 20 to 30 passengers on the bus , Ms. Hercules began to discreetly text her friend, off-duty Police Communications Technician Stephanie Williams, 24, who was at home and was sure to see her friend’s texts.

Both women joined the department in September last year and both were due off until their four-to-midnight tour began later in the day.

Ms. Williams did, in fact, see the texts ,called 911, and passed along exactly those bits of information her fellow professional knew were crucial to report: location, direction of travel, and more, such as: “black Beats headphones, backpack, (bus) now on St. Peter’s Place, next to 1-2-0 Place. Perp is wearing a black mask and black scully hat.” She texted that the “perp is sitting by female with pink stroller,” and minutes later “he moved from sitting by female with pink stroller.”

Moments later, police pulled over the bus and boarded. As they did, the teen got up and moved away from his backpack. Officers initially directed their attention to a man who was left holding the bag so-to-speak, or at least sitting closest to the abandoned backpack. But Ms. Hercules soon pointed out the suspect, Raysean Alson, 18, of 806 Henderson Avenue, Staten Island. He was arrested and charged with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2, among other charges. Inside his backpack they found a defaced and loaded Bryco Jennings 9 mm semiautomatic pistol and a Smith & Wesson revolver, loaded with five live rounds and a spent shell casing, that had been reported stolen from Delaware. The suspect had three prior arrests, including forcible touching, farebeating and marijuana possession. The investigation, including into what happened to the spent bullet from the .38, continues.

(YWN Desk – NYC)