NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — Three people are facing charges after an incident in New Bedford led to the seizure of an illegal firearm.

New Bedford police said they responded to Deane Street around 6:30 p.m. on April 22 for a report of a disturbance. Officers arrived to find a group outside a home, including one person wearing a ski mask.

One of the men, later identified as 18-year-old Jason Anthony Johnson-Rivera, was seen handing what appeared to be a gun to another man, 22-year-old David Luna, according to police.

Luna put the item in his waistband and ran off, police said, but he dropped it while running. Police said it turned out to be a 9mm handgun loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition.

Both men were arrested on a charge of carrying a firearm loaded with a high-capacity feeding device without a license.

A third person, 21-year-old Alanah Martinez, was also arrested on charges of intimidation of a witness, open container of alcohol, and resisting arrest, according to police.

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