Local HEB Reports First 'Open Carry' Violator

ROUND ROCK, TX -- Since the state’s new “open carry” law allowing for visible display of handguns took effect this month, it seemed only a matter of time before someone would walk into an establishment opting out of allowing patrons’ to openly exhibit their holstered handguns on their premises.

On Sunday, it happened, at the Round Rock HEB.

An HEB official called the local police department to report a person entering the store with a holstered firearm, a right gun owners now have after Texas passed its so-called open carry law on Jan. 1 allowing for such displays.

Still, local police opted not to report to the scene, according to a report in the Austin American-Statesman.

“The person openly carrying was not breaking any laws,” police spokeswoman Angelique Myers told the newspaper. “We can’t do much at that point.”

In a Dec. 21 educational session for the public ahead of the ”open carry” law, Round Rock Police Department Training Commander Jim Stuart offered tacit support to those inclined to display their weapons.

“One of the concerns we have is people are trying to attach a hostile thing to someone having a weapon on them because it’s new,” Stuart told the audience at the public meeting. ”They’re just exercising their right to carry their weapon in the open.”

The man who had entered the store with his holstered gun left the premises shortly after the call to police was made, according to the report. The incident happened at about 12:30 p.m. at the HEB store located at 1700 E. Palm Valley, KEYE-TV reported.

The incident was the first open carry emergency call Round Rock police have received since the new law took effect, according to law enforcement officials there. The Austin Police Department also has reported no such calls being made to report open carry violations.

On Christmas Eve, HEB announced it would not allow the open carry of guns on its premises. In so doing, the retailer joined a growing list of business establishments opting out of the new law for fear of making other customers uncomfortable at the sight of civilians toting guns.

>> Picture of sign taken Dec. 24 at HEB at South Congress Avenue and Oltorf an example of signs installed at all store locations since the new law took effect