News >> Browse Articles >> Fire & Rescue News
NY Fire Chief and Firefighter Busted in Pedestrian Gun Threat
Stock Photo
New York Daily News via YellowBrix
March 10, 2010
NEW YORK – A Long Island town’s fire chief and a New York City firefighter were arrested Tuesday for brandishing guns while threatening a pedestrian, officials said.
Michael Charles, the Hempstead fire chief, held a handgun on his hip while Brian Schuck, an eight-year-FDNY veteran, toted a shotgun when they harassed a man walking down a Hempstead street Sunday afternoon, Nassau County police said.
Charles and Schuck, who were in an official Hempstead Fire Department SUV, detained the man for a few minutes before letting him flee.
It was not clear why they targeted that victim, police said.
Schuck – who was also wanted on an outstanding warrant for assault – and Charles surrendered to authorities Tuesday.
A third suspect was still being sought, police said.
Schuck, who works at Ladder 111 in Brooklyn, was immediately suspended without pay, FDNY officials said.
