Man accused of keeping explosives, 'hit list' with brother, worked security at Long Island elementary school

QUEENS - Angelo Hatziagelis, the man accused of keeping an arsenal of homemade weapons with his brother in Queens, has been identified as a security guard at a Long Island elementary school. 

The superintendent of Great Neck Public Schools, Kenneth Bossert, released a statement Tuesday saying an individual employed by their contracted security firm, Arrow Security, had been arrested pending criminal charges.

Angelo Hatziagelis. (Queens District Attorney's Office)

Angelo and his brother, Andrew, were arrested after authorities uncovered homemade explosives back on Jan. 17 inside their Astoria apartment.

Authorities found six operable and loaded ghost guns, including assault weapons, protective gear, and eight homemade explosive devices. They also recovered notebooks with "hit lists" that included police officers, politicians and celebrities.

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Bossert said parents had been notified Jan. 22 about an incident involving Angelo, but that they were unaware of the severity of the charges at the time.

In a statement, the superintendent wrote:

"It is worth noting that this individual met all New York State requirements to hold an unarmed security guard license at the time of his arrest, including a required criminal background check and fingerprinting. We have conducted a careful review of all mandated protocols with our contracted service provider, Arrow Security, to ensure no steps were overlooked during the hiring process. Additionally, Arrow Security confirmed that this individual also underwent and passed a full background check by an independent investigations firm, as well as drug testing prior to his placement within GNPS."

School officials said they conducted a review of Arrow Security to confirm that no steps were overlooked during the hiring process and assured that all New York State requirements were met, including a required criminal background check and fingerprinting. 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the indictment against the brothers Monday afternoon when they were taken into custody. 

"We share your concern regarding the gravity of these charges and extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action in addressing this matter to ensure the safety of all," the Great Neck Public Schools statement read. 

Investigators also recovered notebooks with hit lists that included police officers, politicians and celebrities, along with a radio scanner set to the frequency of the neighboring police precinct.

The brothers are facing 130 counts, including criminal possession of weapons. Their next court date is Feb. 15.