A man has been arrested after police say he had an AR-15 sticking out of his backpack at a popular Cobb County mall on Thanksgiving night.

Channel 2 Action News reported that 23-year-old Lecarl Weems also opened the bag at Cumberland Mall and showed the gun to a shopper who asked about it. Weems was later found with a magazine clip with ammunition in his backpack as well, police said.

The shopper mentioned it to a custodian, who reported it to security, the news station reported. Police got involved and found the man inside the DTLR store in the mall.

Weems was charged with carrying a weapon without a valid license, according to Channel 2.

Georgia law states that it is illegal to carry a gun in public without a license. Cumberland Mall also has a rule against guns on the property.

When officers asked Weems why he had the rifle, a police report stated he said it was for his own protection, Channel 2 reported.

“Weems also mentioned that he decided to carry the rifle in his backpack because he did not want to cause chaos inside of the mall,” the report stated.

In other news:

Luckily, no one was injured.

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