On Thursday morning, police pulled Mark Vicars over in Syosset, New York, a quiet Long Island suburb. They’d received a tip that Vicars, who is a personal trainer, was masquerading as a federal air marshal, the New York Daily News reports. Authorities were prepared for Vicars’ fake air marshal ID, which he flashed when pulled over, but not for the loaded .380 pistol, gravity knife, loaded assault rifle, body armor, tactical vest, and az high-capacity magazines each containing 30 rounds of ammo they found in Vicars’ car, according to Vice.
Police discovered even more weapons when they searched Vicars’ home: five additional handguns and approximately 8,300 rounds of ammo. Despite his ridiculous arsenal, officials say there’s no threat of terrorism in this case—instead, Vicars has been charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon (none of his guns were licensed) and criminal possession of a forged instrument.
“The officers involved were a little shocked, but they’re professionals and did their job appropriately,” said Nassau County Police Department spokesman Det. Lt. Richard LeBrun. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that “it’s going to be a lengthy investigation;” cops want to know how Vicars got ahold of all those illegal firearms and a forged federal ID. Given the insane number of mass shootings this year alone, authorities are right to be concerned—Vicars’ stockpile was on par with that of Tashfeen Malik and Syed Farook, who killed 14 people in a shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., Wednesday.
