Man Arrested In South Austin IHOP For Carrying Unlicensed Handgun

SOUTH AUSTIN, TX — A man was arrested early Saturday for carrying an unlicensed handgun into a South Austin IHOP restaurant, according to reports.

Police responded to the IHOP restaurant at 8801 Interstate 35 South at 3:45 a.m. after reports of a man who was arguing with other patrons whose gun was spotted sticking out of his pocket, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Later identified as Marcus Antonio Dallas Jr., 25, the man was later found to have not had a registered license for his .40 caliber Smith & Wesson. Police also found a fully loaded, 15-round magazine in the man's front left pocket, according to an arrest affidavit referenced by the newspaper.

Dallas was booked into Travis County Jail around 5:20 a.m. Saturday on a charge of unlawfully carrying a weapon with a bail set at $5,000, according to jail records.

While Texas is now a "open carry" state since Jan. 1 of last year by virtue of a law championed by Gov. Greg Abbott, numerous private businesses have chosen to opt out of the law. They do this by installing specially printed signs on their storefront windows alerting customers they are prohibited from entering the establishment with their guns in tow.

But the "open carry" provision enabling gun lovers to publicly aver their 2nd Amendment rights is intended for owners of licensed firearms predisposed to such displays.

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>>> Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman

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