SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A city man is accused of running from police and dropping a pay stub with his name on it when tried to ditch a loaded handgun.

Kenneth Simmons

Kenneth Simmons, 26, of 531 W. Colvin St., was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, second and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Syracuse police said that at 5:50 p.m. Monday officers were looking for the suspect of a stabbing that happened in the 2000 block of South Salina Street.

Air-1, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office helicopter, was helping with the search and told Officer Gregory Dipuccio that a person matching the suspect's description had just gone into the corner store at 1919 S. State St., police said. Dipuccio found the person, who police later identified as SImmons.

A second officer, Andrew Murphy, responded. Simmons appeared nervous and fidgety to the officers, police said, and ran when they asked him to come over to their vehicle.

The officers chased Simmons on foot and saw him reach into his waistband and throw a silver semi-automatic Raven Arms .25-caliber handgun, police said. The handgun was later recovered and, police said, found to be loaded with the safety off.

Simmons was arrested in the 1800 block of South State Street, soon after tossing the gun, police said. During the chase Simmons is also accused of dropping a pay stub with his name on it near the handgun.

Simmons was held at the Onondaga County jail awaiting arraignment.

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