A Fort Bragg soldier has been released to his company commander after his arrest on charges of creating a panic at a North Carolina mall for allegedly showing up with an AR-15 assault-type rifle and bulletproof vest.
Bryan Scott Wolfinger, 25, was taken into custody Thursday evening outside the Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville and charged with "going armed to the terror of the public," the Associated Press reported.
Fayetteville police said in a statement that Wolfinger was arrested "without incident."
Police said the soldier was allegedly preparing to have photograph taken with the military equipment — including an AR-15 rifle, Kevlar vest and multiple ammunition magazines — when police began getting 911 calls about an armed male walking through Macy's.
The mall was in lockdown for about an hour, causing shoppers and merchants to rush from the mall during a busy shopping period, the Fayetteville Observerreported.
The Fayetteville area is home to Fort Bragg, the nation's largest military installation.
"With the terror alerts that we've had, it's a holiday weekend, it's the nation's birthday, our senses are high," Fayetteville Assistant Police Chief Anthony Kelly told WRAL-TV. "Thankfully, it turned out like it did."
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