https://www.syracuse.com/crime...it-was-an-ar-15.html

This is the full article, link has a good picture of the AR, er...umbrella but I'm no longer smart enough to post a photo.

Man with umbrella prompts lockdown at Destiny USA

People thought it was an AR-15

by Greta Stuckey
Updated: Aug. 28, 2025, 9:39 p.m.

Syracuse, N.Y. — A man carrying an umbrella at Destiny USA Thursday triggered a heavy police response and a brief mall lockdown after multiple people called 911 believing he had a gun, Syracuse police said.

Just after 3:20 p.m., police received a 911 call reporting a man walking near North Geddes and Spencer streets with what looked like an AR-15-style weapon, according to Kieran Coffey, a spokesperson for Syracuse Police.

Minutes later, another caller reported seeing the same man near Hiawatha and Solar streets cock the gun and sling it on his shoulder, police said.

Multiple officers searched the area with the help of drone units. The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office was notified, and its Air 1 helicopter was put on standby.

At about 4:04 p.m., a detective who was monitoring security camera footage at the mall spotted the man on an escalator and followed him to the food court near the 110 Grill.

Police locked down the mall as dispatchers received another report of a possible gunshot in the canyon area. However, officers were in that area and quickly confirmed no shots had been fired.

By 4:10 p.m., officers had detained the man. They discovered he was carrying a black umbrella with a samurai-style handle and a strap, which from a distance resembled the barrel and stock of a rifle, police said.

The man was taken to the Syracuse Police Department for questioning. After reviewing video footage and speaking with witnesses, investigators determined he had committed no crime. Police said he cooperated fully and was released without charges.

The mall reopened shortly after police realized the man had no weapon.



FWIW, this was two days after the MN church shooting.

Can you post article, behind a firewall for me?

That's a katana umbrella. They didn't even get the weapon right.

I have no words.

quote:

The man was taken to the Syracuse Police Department for questioning.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
Minutes later, another caller reported seeing the same man near Hiawatha and Solar streets cock the gun and sling it on his shoulder, police said.

Typical hysterical bullshit.


Our local university was one of the ones caught up in the spate of swatting calls last week.

In addition to the fake AI-generated calls from elsewhere that prompted the initial situation, there were some actual local students who later reported accounts of hearing gunshots and seeing injured students.

All hallucinated. Some people can't handle even a little bit of perceived stress/danger, and their minds run wild.

The more I read about it the more I think some people should not be in the position they are in and don't deserve a second chance.

Well, it does have 'the thing that goes up'...

That ranks up there with the snowflake who call cops on a guy wearing a Glock t-shirt. Yes, it did happen and there was video, Body Worn Cameras on it. I believe that one happened in New York City.

At church on duty a woman came up to me and expressed concern about a man getting coffee. He was wearing a golf shirt with small printed icons. One was a palm tree and the other was an ar15. She was convinced he was going to shoot up the place.

And some people wonder how anyone could possibly be mistaken about what caused a pistol to fire—supposedly without pulling the trigger.

Huh, have you guys ever seen the Penguin’s umbrella?

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
And some people wonder how anyone could possibly be mistaken about what caused a pistol to fire—supposedly without pulling the trigger.

Point taken sir but, this is not about that low quality 320 thing you are so sure of. Total different topic. That umbrella is likely a better made product.

Good thing he didn’t chew a pop tart into a pistol shape…..

For the record, I do that when I eat a pop tart

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
I have no words.

I do. Fucking idiots.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Well, it does have 'the thing that goes up'...

It doesn't even have the shoulder thing that goes up...Pshhhh.

I saw a video years ago where an old guy in a pickup truck got pulled over. As soon as he came to a stop he decided to get out of his truck and retrieve a cane that was in the bed. The officer thought it was a shotgun and promptly unloaded on the man.

The officer repeatedly warned him to stay in his vehicle.

There is a scavenger type hunt you play with GPS units called Geocaching. Someone called in a "suspicious object" near a bike path. The Bomb Squad was called in and they blew it up in place.
Turns out it was... A Geocache.
It embarrasses me to say that this fiasco was overseen by my old PD.

We've got to get these things off the street...


CTR Umbrella by kpkina, on Flickr