First arrest made in NYC law banning face masks

Police in the suburbs of New York City made the first arrest under a new local law banning face masks, officials announced Tuesday.

Nassau County Police say officers on Sunday night responded to reports of a suspicious person on a street near the Levittown and Hicksville town line, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Manhattan.

They found Wesslin Omar Ramirez Castillo wearing black clothing and a black ski mask that covered his face, except for his eyes.

The department said the 18-year-old resident displayed other suspicious behavior, including attempting to conceal a large bulge in his waistband and refusing to comply with the officers’ commands.

Officers say the bulge turned out to be a 14-inch knife.

Ramirez Castillo was placed under arrest without further incident, police said.

Lt.

Scott Skrynecki, a police department spokesperson, said Ramirez Castillo will also be facing a misdemeanor violation of the face mask law in the coming days.