Though Texas is an open carry state, a gun store owner in the city of Beaumont is facing a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace for carrying his AR-15 rifle across his shoulder through a shopping mall.
Derek Poe, 26, owns Golden Triangle Tactical at the Beaumont Parkdale Mall. KBMT-TV reportsthat he entered the Game Stop store in the mall before going to his own store.
Video of the aftermath of the incident has surfaced showing Poe talking with authorities:
KMBT has a picture of Poe carrying his rifle:
Texas Man Charged for Bringing AR 15 Into Shopping Mall
(Source: KMBT-TV screen shot)
Beaumont Police Sgt. Rob Flores told the Houston Chronicle that Poe turned himself in on Friday after the district attorney’s office issued a warrant for his arrest. The mall incident occurred on Dec. 28.
Flores said authorities got calls from shoppers who said they were “very afraid,” “terrified” and “thought they were going to die.”
However, Poe said he was operating within the law.
“It was clearly obvious I didn’t have criminal intent. I had a drink in one hand and a bag in the other. I didn’t commit a crime. I legally carried a long arm in Texas,” Poe told KBMT-12 News.
Poe was not arrested but did have his rifle confiscated as police investigate.
The Texas open carry law allows state residents to carry rifles if it’s not done in a threatening manner. Handguns are not allowed to be carried in open, and a person must have a concealed carry handgun license.
TheBlaze has published a graphic showing the rights people have been dealing with police officers.