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.
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