Two men and two women were arrested Tuesday evening after police were tipped off to a Facebook Live video of them with BB guns inside a rented room at the boutique Gramercy Park Hotel, according to the NYPD and multiple media reports.
A Facebook Live video posted Tuesday by 25-year-old Maxine Hansen, one of the women, appears to be the video that tipped cops off. In it, Hansen mugs in front of a hotel room mirror and shares footage of the mini bar, two of her companions, and what appear to be at least five BB guns strewn on the hotel bed.
At one point Hansen says, "Gonna catch a body," (slang for murder) and then, panning over the BB guns, "Those are play guns." She also addresses the BB guns in the comments, writing, "Yeah I really have play guns in a penthouse."
When Hansen and one of the men in the room open the liquor-stocked mini-fridge, she declares, "I don't even think Donald Trump be livin' like this."
Police received a call about possible guns and a bomb inside the Gramercy Park Hotel at 2 Lexington Avenue around 4:20 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a spokesman for the department. DNAInfo reports that police then called hotel security. Security guards responded to the 11th floor hallway and heard someone through the door say "be careful with that, you can get shot," according to the outlet.
Officers from the NYPD's Emergency Services unit subsequently responded to the hotel in bulletproof vests and entered room 1112, taking all four guests into custody. Cops also recovered six BB guns and drug paraphernalia, but no actual guns, according to the NYPD.
Along with Hansen, police arrested Firas Yousef, 32, Bassem Yousef, 30, and Ashley Mueller, 22. All four were preliminarily charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, and criminal possession of marijuana. Their arraignment is pending.
Possession of an air pistol or rifle is illegal under NYC administrative code unless the owner has an annual license "from the police commissioner of the city authorizing such sale and possession."
"We are fully cooperating with the authorities and as this is an ongoing investigation are unable to provide additional information at this time," said Gramercy Park Hotel General Manager Daniel Entenberg. "The safety and security of our guests remains our priority. Any inquiries should be directed to the NYPD."
Hansen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mueller and the Yousefs could not be reached.
