Man who threatened to ‘vaporize’ people on Martha’s Vineyard had assault rifle in car, police say

TISBURY, Mass. — An Edgartown man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly making bomb threats while at the Steamship Authority terminal.

57-year-old David Anthony Capato is charged with terroristic threats, disorderly conduct, threats to commit a crime, improper storage of a firearm, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and witness intimidation.

Officers responding to a report of a found revolver with a lock on it at the Steamship Authority terminal around 9 p.m. requested to speak with the reporting party, who turned out to be Capato, according to Tisbury Police.

Capato then allegedly threw the gun into a blue mailbox near the terminal and retreated to his car in the drop-off area.

Police say they tried getting more information from Capato when he became uncooperative, claiming he had multiple guns and an explosive device in his car.

According to authorities, Capato threatened to “vaporize” anyone who came near his car, saying in part that he had a trigger.

Fearing that he had a car bomb, police quickly cleared the terminal, the SSA parking lot, the incoming ferry, and the entire surrounding area of all non-law enforcement personnel. A Tactical Response Team was called to the scene to help secure the scene.

After negotiating for several hours, police say Capato surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody without incident.

Investigators say they found an M4 assault rifle in his car, along with the revolver recovered from the USPS mailbox outside the terminal. No explosive devices were found in his vehicle or on the premises.

Authorities found that Capato had been walking around the SSA terminal for a while before the incident and was wearing a body camera.

Capato was arraigned in Edgartown District Court on Thursday.

The incident remains under investigation by Tisbury Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF).

The Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad also assisted Tisbury officers at the scene.

No further information was immediately available.

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