Vandergrift man, 19, charged with gun possession

NEW KENSINGTON -- A 19-year-old Vandergrift man was charged Thursday with illegal gun possession, a district court clerk said.

Sheldon Lee Chambers of Washington Street was arraigned on a charge of carrying a concealed pistol without a license, the clerk said.

State law requires people to be at least 21 to obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm.

District Justice Frank Pallone Jr. set bond for Chambers at $15,000 straight. Chambers was making arrangements to post bond Thursday, the clerk said.

Police Detective Sgt. Dennis Marsili said Chambers was arrested Wednesday after he ran from an officer who was investigating a reported fight in the YMCA parking lot.

While a group of eight people left the parking lot area, one man ran through yards to get away from police.

According to a police report, an officer saw Chambers and others at the parking lot and asked to talk to them about the alleged fight.

"For officer safety, the officer patted down Chambers and he found a loaded 9 mm Ruger semi-automatic pistol on Chambers," Marsili said.

The gun's 10-round clip was loaded and there was a round in the chamber, Marsili said. "It was ready to fire."