Posted on 07/03/2015 7:02:32 AM PDT by Enlightened1
A Fort Bragg soldier with an AR-15 assault-type rifle wearing a military ballistic panel carrier and carrying multiple rifle ammunition magazines caused a busy Cross Creek Mall to lock down Thursday night.
Bryan Scott Wolfinger, 25, was charged early this morning with going armed to the terror of the public. He told police he was preparing to have photographs taken with military equipment when 911 calls sent Fayetteville police to the mall.
Wolfinger was processed at the Cumberland County Detention Center and was released to his company commander and provost marshal at Fort Bragg.
The incident happened on the eve of a patriotic three-day holiday weekend for many in an area that is home to the nation's largest military installation, Fort Bragg. There was no estimate on the number of people in the mall when it was locked down, according to mall officials and the police.
Shoppers and merchants, most with no warning, quickly learned of the situation as police swept through the 150-shop facility escorting everyone from the building and securing exits in response to what police said were multiple reports of "a subject armed with an assault rifle walking through Macy's."
Police were called just before 6:30 p.m. and upon arrival, came into contact with the man carrying the rifle, vest and ammunition near the Macy's wing of the mall outside of Francesca's. He was detained without incident.
(Excerpt) Read more at fayobserver.com ...
And was anything illegal or threatening about this soldier’s conduct?
1) Did he really have “ammunition?”
2) Mention is made of a “panel carrier” but no armor plating. Why would that be for a soldier that might have “harm to the public” in mind?
3) “Calls went out” about somebody with a rifle, vest and ammunition. Has any proof of ‘ammunition’ been established? Were there just empty magazines?
4) Is there a place in the mall where one might have a picture taken in their work garb?
5) Most importantly, did he ever say anything like Allah Akbar?
They also have these "going armed to the terror of the public" laws on the books, which essentially means that if somebody decides that they are "terrified" by your safe, holstered handgun, they are allowed to have you placed under arrest.
Ah.... huh?
Who wrote this, I wonder?
Obviously not or they would have killed him on the spot.
That is what the law’s title is. Lawyers wrote it, what did you expect?
Honestly, if you see a man walking into a shopping mall with an AR-15 and several magazines, are you going to think:
A.) There's a Patriot exercising his God-given 2nd Amendment rights or...
B.) Holy S***! Something really bad is about to take place.
While I'm a big advocate of open carry, some people out there are just idiots.
Where is the crime, other than being an idiot? Open carry is legal in NC.
Agreed, as much as he might have the right to carry, it likely would have been a bit smarter to put the gun in a bag. As well, though, the police should have been smart enough to determine if he was a threat or not, and release him. Why arrest him? Was this really necessary? Will they apologize and undo the potential damage to his military career?
In the case of that phrase, it was the state legislature.
He was probably wearing a Confederate flag on his person.
Agreed... A little discretion goes a long way..... Put the weapon in a locked case.... The outcome would have been different ..... Open carry of a AR-15 and assault pack through a mall during a heightened terror alert is just stupid....
I would have confronted him as any normal adult...
can we apply this law against militarized, bullying police?
Apparently written by a judge:
“This is a common law offense. State v. Dawson, 272 N.C. 535, 541-42 (1968); State v. Huntly, 25 N.C. 418, 418 (1843); State v. Staten, 32 N.C. App. 495, 496-97 (1977) (citing Dawson).”
http://nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu/going-armed-to-the-terror-of-the-people/
I would have guessed reconstruction-era, but it apparently pre-dates that.
You make a good point.
I’ll probably catch some flak on this, but I’ve always thought most state gun laws were backwards. You should be able to carry concealed without a permit, but you should need a permit to carry openly.
Say what you will, but, what better costume for a lone wolf terrorist than wearing a US Uniform and just casually walking into a mall fully loaded and then at the right moment..................... There is enough there to be concerned about, 2nd amendment or not. Do you think an ISIS type would wear his black mask, Ninga outfit, and all to get access to a mall?
This is why I would think twice about packing a AR around in the city.
Sensitive little yuppies are ‘terrorized’ over a mere drawing of a gun.
Teachers in schools are ‘terrorized’ over a poptart that looks like a gun.
Our children are being trained the same way you train dogs.
point at the chewed shoe “BAD”
point at the chewed shoe “BAD”
schools:
point at the gun “BAD”
point at the gun “BAD”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.