9/11 victim's son arrested in gun case

The son of a firefighter who died on 9/11 was arrested, along with another teen, after he pointed a gun at officers in Great Neck while they were investigating a menacing complaint, police said.

Nassau police said they got a call at about 11:15 p.m. Saturday from a complainant who lived on Steamboat Road in Great Neck. He said he had received threatening phone calls and was menaced with guns by Andrew Ielpi, 19, of Great Neck, and another teen the previous week over a money dispute.

Police found Andrew Ielpi outside Great Neck Glass on Middle Neck Road. As officers walked down the alley toward the glass business, officers said Ielpi pointed a handgun at them, then ran inside the business.

Officers followed and arrested Ielpi and found a .357 Magnum handgun at the scene, police said. The victim identified him and a second man arrested at the glass business as those who had menaced him in a May 6 incident on Steamboat Road.

Ielpi was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, menacing a police officer, second-degree menacing and second-degree aggravated harassment.

Ielpi's father, Jonathan Ielpi, was a FDNY firefighter who died in the south tower on 9/11 at age 29. Lee Ielpi, Andrew's grandfather, Jonathan's father, helped found the Tribute WTC Visitor Center and the September 11th Families' Association.

When reached by a reporter, Lee Ielpi, 66 of Great Neck, at first said he had no comment.

Asked about the impact of 9/11 on his grandson's life, Lee Ielpi said, "9/11 has altered the lives of so many young people who lost their moms and dads in a horrible, horrible way, and this is just another example."

The second teen arrested was Anthony Guerrero, 19, of Great Neck, police said. Police said they found a modified Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun in Guerrero's car.

Guerrero was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree menacing.

His family could not be reached last night.

The two teens are scheduled to be arraigned Monday in First District Court in Hempstead.