Man arrested in Fayetteville, North Carolina, mall with assault rifle, ammo

[EC]

 (CNN)Police arrested a man carrying an assault rifle and ammunition at a Fayetteville, North Carolina, mall after officers received multiple reports of an armed man walking through a Macy's department store.

He was tracked down within minutes near the Macy's wing of the Cross Creek Mall on Thursday evening, police said.

"The male subject was detained without incident and was in the possession of an AR-15 assault rifle, a Kevlar vest and multiple rifle ammunition magazines," a Fayetteville Police statement said.

While initial reports indicated that a second armed man was in the mall, the man who was arrested was found to be acting alone. Officers searched the entire mall to be sure there was no second armed man present, the police statement said.

Detectives are investigating the incident, and "appropriate charges" will be filed against the man arrested, it added.

Video report at link: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/03/us/north-carolina-mall-gun-arrest/index.html

[240B]

About half of Fayetteville is Fort Bragg. I was stationed there for a couple of years. When I was there it was said that the Fayetteville area had the one of the lowest crime rates in the nation. Primarily because so many residents there were veterans.

And everyone has a gun. As a criminal, you know right away that you are going into an armed and potentially deadly situation. There aren't many 'innocent civilians' there. And that knowledge kept everyone. I always felt safe, and could go anywhere in town any time of day or night. No worries.

As a soldier you get so used to carrying a weapon, it becomes like putting on your pants or your shoes. It is at least possible that he forgot he had it, or he simply thought nothing of it. And everyone else freaked out.

[EC]

It does sound that way, though people freaking out is not how I remember the folks around Ft. Bragg! I was there for about 6 months - joint training. Don't think I put my hand in my pocket once off base to pay for a beer (It's the accent  ).

I've seen no follow up or anything as yet and have been looking.

[mountaineer]

Ah yes, the "assault" rifle. No one in the media knows what it is, exactly, but they're pretty sure that every rifle fits the description.

[mystery-ak]

http://www.fayobserver.com/news/local/bragg-soldier-charged-with-going-armed-to-the-terror-of/article_d8106614-817d-508d-bb1b-ef680a09e803.html

Bragg soldier charged with going armed to the terror of the public



excerpt

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.

[MACVSOG68]

It does sound that way, though people freaking out is not how I remember the folks around Ft. Bragg! I was there for about 6 months - joint training. Don't think I put my hand in my pocket once off base to pay for a beer (It's the accent  ).

I've seen no follow up or anything as yet and have been looking.

I spent a lot of time at Ft. Bragg both with the Kennedy Center for Special Warfare (1965)and (1986) and the 82d Airborne (1966).  In the 1960s Fayetteville had a place called Combat Alley where SF and 82d met for off post "activities".  I did pay for all my drinks there.  At one point Fayetteville was placed off limits.