Cops: Man Fired Gun Near Kids at Echo Park

A West Hempstead man faces charges for firing a gun near children and striking a car in the parking lot of a popular pool Sunday, according to Nassau County Police.

Officers responded to Echo Park Pool, located at 399 Nassau Boulevard in West Hempstead, at 6:45 p.m. to a report of shots fired, cops said. Several shots had been fired with one round striking a car and breaking its rear windshield, police said.

Responders stopped a car in the parking lot and found Nathanial Paulino, 20, who was identified as the shooter, authorities said. A loaded Ruger model single .22 caliber revolver was discovered at the scene, cops said.

Multiple pool goers and children were in the parking lot at the time of the shooting, police said. No one was reportedly injured.

Paulino was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree criminal use of a firearm, first-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal mischief, and endangering the welfare of a child. He will be arraigned Monday at First District Court in Hempstead.

Image: Nathaniel Paulino. Credit: NCPD