SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA — A man brought an uninflated basketball into a military recruitment center on Tuesday afternoon. He walked up to the recruiters and put it down on their desk, allegedly saying, “he had something they might need” according to Shreveport Police Cpl. Marcus Hines to KTBS.
Recruiters contacted police immediately and David S. Quinn, 48, was arrested. According to the KTBS report, Quinn delivered an unloaded, legally registered handgun in the uninflated basketball – meant to serve as protection should the Shreveport recruiting office be subject to an attack like that which happened in Chattanooga. By law, active duty military cannot maintain a concealed carry firearm on them unless by lawful order of their installation’s commander in accordance with Department of Defense policy.
Quinn does not have a license to conceal a firearm and is being charged for that violation, reports the Shreveport police who apprehended him at the scene.
“He appeared to be very upset about the military shooting,” said Police Cpl Hines, who described Quinn as non-threatening and bearing good intentions.
“He did not intend to harm anyone,” Hines said.
The recruitment facility was not located on federal property and, according to KTBS, he will avoid heavy federal charges because of it. When he was arrested, authorities found four legal firearms in his vehicle. Quinn has previous convictions stemming mostly from DWIs in the mid-1980s and no violent offenses.
Authorities are describing this as most a misguided attempt to be helpful and do not seem to be pursuing it as if Quinn had bad intentions for any involved. The firearm in the basketball was unloaded.
