Man arrested after walking into Monroe Walmart with several guns, bullet-proof vest - WBTV

MONROE, N.C. (WBTV) - A terrifying sight in Union County store that sent shoppers quickly calling 911. The sheriff’s office says a man walked into the Wal-Mart in Monroe packed with several weapons including pistols, a long rifle and wearing a bullet proof vest.

“And it’ just getting ridicules.”

Darrel Philemon spent his afternoon shopping at the local Wal-Mart in Monroe. He was actually there to pick up a firearm of his own in the form of a hunting rifle. While he’s a gun advocate, he doesn’t agree with the decision the suspect apparently made.

“It was a very stupid decision for what he did today,” Philemon said.

The Monroe Police Department says they received several calls from panicked shoppers about an armed man walking through the store.

There are pictures taken by people inside, police say is 32-year-old Moja Estep walking through the front of the store. Apparently armed to the teeth, police say he had an assault-type rifle, two handguns – one on his waist, one in a holster. Multiple fully loaded clips along with two knives, and what rattled people most of all he was wearing a bullet-proof vest.

“That would be very scary. I mean he’s got a vest on too so he’s wanting to do something,” shopper Jessica Ringer explained.

Officers arrived and took Estep into custody charging him with going armed to the terror of the people. But what exactly are the rules when it comes to open-carry firearms?

“It’s certainly going to frighten every customer that’s in the store.”

Larry Hyatt owns Hyatt Guns, and is an expert when it comes to firearms laws. He says as long as the guns were purchased legally, it’s not an issue. When it becomes a problem is where you decide to carry.

“Carrying that gun onto private property. If they have that sign no guns allowed it’s illegal to take them in they can be immediately arrested,” Hyatt explained.

James Mackey works at the Wal-Mart, but says he doesn’t have a problem with what the suspect did.

“If his purpose wasn’t to harm anybody, I don’t see nothing wrong with it,” Mackey said.

Rick Sutton tells me firearms are now an everyday thing.

“If he just had a pistol strapped to him you would think that would be normal. Because everybody carry’s a pistol these days,” Sutton said.

Philemon hopes some good will come out of all of this.

“Hopefully whatever they’re going to do will teach him a lesson,” he said.

We checked the court calendar, and so far there’s no date for a next appearance.

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