A 27-year-old man, Judd Sanson, was arrested near LaGuardia Airport in New York City after a deadly cache of weapons and suspicious items were discovered in his vehicle.

The police found a loaded 9mm gun, ammunition, knives, a machete, a stun gun, a whip, a body armor vest with an NYPD patch and an MTA vest.

Sanson was stopped by an NYPD officer who discovered a black handle visible from a holster strapped to his right leg. A baton with disturbing writings, including an Arabic phrase meaning “Ask God For Forgiveness,” was also recovered.

Following Sanson’s arrest and the discovery of the weapons, District Attorney Katz warned that the suspect’s weapons posed a potential threat to the public, given his proximity to the airport.

“When a person is pulled over and possesses a loaded semi-automatic gun, more than 170 total rounds of ammunition, multiple weapons, body armor, an NYPD patch and an MTA vest, just a few blocks from the airport, we are very concerned,” Katz said.

According to the New York Post, Queens District Assistant Attorney Dylan Nesturrick praised the police for their intervention, stating that they averted what could have been a disaster for the citizens of Queens, New York City and potentially even the country.

Sanson was a former catholic from the Philippines who recently converted to Islam. He faces gun and weapons charges, which could lead to 15 years in jail. His friend describes him as a quiet and positive person who never spoke about violence or terror plots but may have been struggling with personal issues.

“He never spoke about violence or terror plots,” his friend said. “I think something snapped in his head. He never talks about his problems. Judd was always hard on himself. He has a heavy accent, and he was embarrassed about it. People bullied him at school for his accent.”

Samson is currently being held without bail on Rikers Island and is due to appear in court.

“Investigation is ongoing, and I thank the NYPD for apprehending the defendant on a routine traffic stop before anything else happened,” Katz said.