By Jim Clark

Police were dispatched to a Cross St. apartment on the evening of New Year’s Day on reports of a disturbance at that location.

Upon arrival, officers entered the building and proceeded to the 3^rd floor unit to investigate the reporting party’s complaint.

As they approached the main entrance to the apartment, the officers reportedly spotted a male, later identified as the reporting party, sitting on the couch in the living room through open main doorway. The man was repeatedly pointing to a closed bedroom door nearby.

As the officers approached the closed door they heard the latch close after announcing their presence, according to reports. They initially got no response after knocking, but reportedly heard some movement within the room.

One of the officers told another officer that he intended to force the door open, and the door was partially opened by a female immediately thereafter.

The woman reportedly allowed the officers into the bedroom, at which time they observed a child sitting on the bed crying and a man, later identified as Jose Andrade, 23, sitting nearby.

The officers reported that the child seemed to be ill. They further observed that Andrade was positioned near a walk-in closet with its doors open and the light inside switched on.

It was also noted that a window in the room was open, with only a blanket covering it, and that a cold breeze was blowing through. The officers reportedly felt that it was odd that the window would be left open in such a way with a sick child in the room.

One of the officers decided to check the grounds outside as it seemed possible that something may have been thrown out the window prior to the officer’s arrival.

A search of the area below the window turned up a loaded handgun, which the officers felt must have landed there from the apartment above.

During the ensuing investigation it was learned that the reporting party had called 911 because he thought that Andrade may be wanted by the police.

A database search revealed that Andrade was not in possession of a permit for the found weapon.

Andrade was subsequently placed under arrest and charged with carrying a firearm without a license and carrying a firearm with ammunition.