Two guns, two days, and a stash of drugs were all stopped at the front door of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in Uptown Charlotte, according to deputies, after a string of security catches on April 14 and 15. One firearm turned up in an unattended bag, another was discovered in a visitor’s purse, and authorities say one person was taken into custody while another was issued a citation.
Screenings Nab Guns And Stash Before They Hit The Halls
Deputies say a routine security sweep on April 14 turned up a semi-automatic handgun sitting in an unattended bag. The bag’s owner was later cited for carrying a concealed weapon after investigators tracked them down.
Not long after, deputies say they spotted a second gun at the checkpoints, this time a Ruger .380 tucked inside a visitor’s purse. That visitor was taken into custody and charged, according to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook.
Deputies say the haul did not stop at guns. Officers also recovered marijuana and cocaine stashed around the exterior of the courthouse and made a separate arrest tied to those finds, according to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook.
“These incidents are a powerful reminder of the importance of constant vigilance,” Sheriff Garry McFadden wrote, praising the “awareness, professionalism, and swift action” of detention officers. He added that newly assigned armed detention officers have been a valuable enhancement to courthouse security and that all cases remain under investigation, according to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook.
Courthouse Rules And A Pattern At The Checkpoints
The Mecklenburg County Courthouse bans firearms and other prohibited items and relies on metal detectors and bag X-ray screening at building entrances, the court says, according to the North Carolina Judicial Branch.
The sheriff’s office has previously urged visitors to follow those rules and warned that bringing weapons into the courthouse can trigger criminal penalties. Local outlets have reported similar seizures at Uptown checkpoints in recent months, including a recent gun in her purse case.
Legal Implications
State law makes it unlawful to carry a deadly weapon in any building that houses a court of the General Court of Justice, and a violation can lead to misdemeanor charges. The statute, G.S. 14-269.4, specifically bars weapons in courthouses even for people who hold a concealed-carry permit for other locations, according to G.S. 14-269.4.
What Visitors Should Know
The sheriff’s office is reminding anyone with courthouse business to double-check what they are bringing through the doors. A full list of prohibited items is posted on the court’s website, and officials say that anyone unsure about a particular item should contact court staff before arriving.
Investigations into the recent seizures are ongoing, and the sheriff’s office says it will keep enforcing courthouse rules to protect jurors, employees, and the public. More information is expected as the cases move forward.
