Man brandished gun in Waldbaum’s parking lot

Retired corrections officer allegedly threatened pedestrian with loaded firearm

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Long Beach police arrested a retired New York City corrections officer last Saturday after he allegedly threatened a pedestrian with a handgun during an altercation outside of Waldbaum’s.

The incident occurred last Saturday, April 19, at 11:09 a.m. at the Waldbaum’s parking lot on East Park Avenue. According to police, 69-year-old Long Beach resident Jose M. Aponte allegedly pointed a loaded firearm at a man during a verbal argument.

Long Beach police said that Aponte was allegedly backing out of a parking spot at the shopping center, when a 35-year-old man who was walking with his girlfriend claimed that Aponte nearly struck them and several other pedestrians as he backed out. The man confronted Aponte while he was in his car, Police Commissioner Michael Tangney said, and a verbal argument ensued. Tangney said that the incident was recorded on the shopping center’s surveillance cameras.

“Mr. Aponte is backing out of a parking spot, and gets a little too close to the victim and his girlfriend,” Tangney said. “[The victim] then has words with [Aponte], walks away and then walks back to the car a second time. [The victim] appears agitated, and the victim alleges that he sees the gun on the seat. He starts walking back to Waldbaum’s.”

Aponte exited the vehicle at that point, Tangney said, and walked “back in the general direction of the victim.”

“[Aponte] alleges that the victim punched him, but there were no marks on his face,” Tangney said. “They both called the police.”

Long Beach police officers Brett Curtis and Lucas Dikranis responded to the scene in seconds, Tangney said. Curtis ordered Aponte — who, at this point, according to Tangney, had put the gun in his waistband — to get on the ground, frisked him and removed his firearm, a loaded 9 mm Glock handgun. Tangney said that as a retired corrections officer, Aponte did have a permit for the weapon, but because he allegedly threatened the man with it, he was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a loaded firearm and second-degree menacing.

“Everyone agrees that the gun was displayed,” Tangney said. “The position of the gun is in controversy.”

Aponte was arraigned on Monday and was released on $250 cash bail. He is scheduled to return to Long Beach City Court on April 28, where he will appear before Judge Roy Tepper. Aponte could not be reached for comment. The victim’s name was not released.