Courthouse security at 201 Poplar did not have to look far for their latest gun arrest. On Monday, deputies say they found a semi-automatic handgun tucked in a backpack left just outside the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center and promptly took 26-year-old Nigel Harper into custody.
According to Action News 5, the whole thing started when Harper’s bag went through the courthouse X-ray machine. Security screeners told him the items inside, which they described as “large tools,” could not be brought into the building. Harper then walked out, left the backpack outside, and came back through security without it. After reviewing the X-ray again, guards retrieved the pack from outside and discovered a semi-automatic handgun inside.
Deputies say the gun had been reported stolen in 2021. Harper allegedly told them he did not realize the weapon was in his backpack and claimed he had found the firearm while moving property at an apartment complex. The sheriff’s office also noted that Harper is under bond conditions from a prior domestic-related case that specifically prohibit him from having a firearm.
Security concerns at 201 Poplar
This latest case plugs directly into ongoing worries about how weapons are slipping anywhere near the downtown courthouse. Last year, a viral video captured a man brandishing a gun inside the Criminal Justice Center, an incident that ended in an arrest and prompted officials to scrutinize their screening procedures, according to local coverage. At the time, the Sheriff’s Office said it was reviewing security footage and trying to determine how that firearm got through the checkpoints.
Charges and legal implications
Shelby County deputies have charged Harper with theft of property, unlawful possession of a handgun, and carrying a weapon during judicial proceedings, Action News 5 reports. Under Tennessee law, carrying a weapon in a building where judicial proceedings are in progress is prohibited by Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1306 and can rise to a Class E felony, with firearms in courthouses treated especially strictly. See the statute text and penalties on Justia.
What happens next
Harper was taken into custody and now faces prosecution in Shelby County. Court records will show the formal charges and the date of his next hearing once they are filed. Meanwhile, the incident is likely to keep the spotlight on how security is handled at the 201 Poplar criminal justice complex. This story will be updated as new court filings or official statements become available.
