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Man with assault rifle in car arrested after alleged threat to ‘vaporize’ people on Martha’s Vineyard
A retired NYPD officer allegedly threatened police with a bomb and guns at the Steamship Authority terminal in Vineyard Haven.
A Massachusetts man is facing terrorism and firearm charges for allegedly threatening to “vaporize” people on Martha’s Vineyard, officials announced.
David Anthony Capato, 57, of Edgartown, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly threatening police with explosives and guns at the Steamship Authority terminal in Vineyard Haven.
Capato appeared in Edgartown District Court Thursday and was charged with making terroristic threats, disorderly conduct, threats to commit a crime, improper storage of a firearm, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and witness intimidation.
Tinsbury police said they received a call around 9 p.m. Wednesday from someone stating they had found an unloaded revolver with a lock on it at the Steamship Authority. When police arrived, they learned that Capato had reported the gun. However, Capato then allegedly threw the gun into a blue mailbox near the terminal and then retreated to his car, according to officials.
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Officers said Capato allegedly became uncooperative and told them he had multiple guns and an explosive device in his car, which was parked at the terminal’s drop-off area.
“Capato threatened to ‘vaporize’ anyone that came near the vehicle, stating that he had a trigger. He added that he has the experience and knows what he is talking about,” police said in a press release.
Concerned that there may be an explosive device, police cleared the terminal area and an incoming ferry and called a tactical response team to the scene. After a few hours of negotiation, Capato was taken into custody without incident, according to officials.
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Investigators said Caputo was wearing a body-worn camera and “had been walking around the terminal for a while before the incident.”
The state police bomb squad did not find any explosive devices in Caputo’s vehicle or the surrounding area. Officials did recover an M4 assault rifle from his car and a revolver from a USPS mailbox outside the terminal, according to police.
In court, Assistant District Attorney John Wheatley said Caputo told officers that he was a former New York police officer and had experience disposing of explosive ordnances. An NYPD spokesperson confirmed to the Vineyard Gazette that Caputo retired from the force in 2011.
A judge ordered Capato to be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Tuesday.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and will involve the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Joint Terrorism Task Force, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
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