Arsenal of firearms found in NYC apartment during fatal shooting investigation

A New York man accused of fatally shooting a suspected assailant outside his apartment building now faces more than a dozen gun possession charges after investigators allegedly discovered an arsenal of firearms and body armor at his home from court records.

Charles Foehner, 65, was arrested on multiple counts of gun possession on Thursday – a day after police said he had shot and killed a 32-year-old man outside a Queens parking garage. Föhner was not charged with the shooting itself.

The shooting happened at around 2am in Kew Gardens. Foehner reportedly told police he fired “a number of times” from his .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver, according to a complaint. Cody Gonzalez, 32, was shot in the chest and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Surveillance footage of the confrontation, reviewed by New York ABC broadcaster WABC, showed Foehner backing up the driveway as his attacker closed in and continuing to advance, although Foehner appeared to be drawing a gun, the broadcaster said reported.

Investigators discovered the revolver used in the shooting at Foehner’s home later in the day after a judge issued a search warrant, the complaint said. According to the complaint, the search also found more than two dozen other firearms, including three assault rifles, and two body armor vests.

Foehmer was indicted in Queens Criminal Court on Friday on 12 counts of criminal gun possession and other counts. The alleged offenses included possession of an assault weapon, carrying a loaded firearm outside the home and unlawfully purchasing body armor, according to the complaint and online court filings.

He was being held on $50,000 bail.

Judge Jerry Iannece showed no sympathy during the brief court appearance and doubled the bail originally requested by the Queens Borough Attorney’s Office.

“The court is quite concerned about what we’re seeing: bulletproof vests, AK-47s, a large arsenal of 26 weapons,” Iannece said firmly. “The defendant was on the street with a loaded, unlicensed gun. There are too many shootings in this town.”

Iannece said the charges carry a mandatory state prison sentence and that Foehner’s risk of absconding is significant.

Foehner is expected to return to court on June 5. His attorney did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz called the case “complicated” because her office reviewed the evidence before filing charges.

“My office is charging Charles Foehner with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon,” Katz said in a statement Friday. “These are the allegations that are factually supported by the evidence.”