Army Reserve member charged with threatening bus riders with gun in Trenton

TRENTON » A military man was arrested over the weekend after he allegedly pulled out his piece and threatened people waiting for the bus, authorities said.

Devon Nelson, 34, a staff sergeant in the Army Reserve, was nabbed Oct. 4 by the violent crimes rapid response unit, led by Detective Lt. Darren Zappley and Sgt. Anthony Manzo. The new unit was started a couple weeks ago, its mission to target violent offenders in the city, Trenton Police Capt. Stephen Varn said.

Officers got a call at 10:11 a.m. of a gunman near Market and Jackson streets and received a description of him while en route. A woman flagged down officers who directed them to a home on the 100 block.

The victims said they were waiting for a bus on Market Street when the gunman came out and pointed a weapon and told them to leave the area.

Cops encountered Nelson in the doorway of the home. They ordered him to show his hands, and he allegedly pushed a young child in front of the doorway and slammed the door shut, according to sources.

Police surrounded the home, and ordered Nelson to come out negotiating with him to surrender, Varn said.

He finally gave up after about 10 minutes, opened the door and was taken into custody without a fight.

Police got a search warrant for the home and located two loaded handguns inside the home, Varn said. Nelson was charged with three counts of aggravated assault, weapons offenses and obstruction.

Police notified agents from the Army’s Criminal Investigations Division of the arrest.

Hours later, detectives collared another man with a loaded handgun, 19-yearold Niegel Bryant, 19, on the 100 block of Walnut Avenue.

Detectives saw people standing next to an abandoned home and approached them. Bryant walked off and reached toward his waistband, Varn said, as if concealing a handgun.

Bryant was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of dum-dum bullets and possession of marijuana under 50 grams.