Nassau police officials are commending their officers for making an arrest peacefully in an incident that could have resulted in a shooting.

Police say they spotted a Valley Stream man walking down Fletcher Avenue Monday with what appeared to be a pistol on his waistband.

When the officers tried to arrest the 60-year-old, police say the suspect pointed the gun at the officers.

One officer was able to identify the weapon as a BB gun and got the suspect to drop it.

Police say the suspect suffers from mental illness and was off his medication at the time of his arrest.