A man was arrested in the food court of a New Jersey shopping center Friday for allegedly having an imitation handgun, police said.
Devin Rivera, 18, was arrested after police received calls that he was brandishing a black semi-automatic handgun in Paramus' Westfield Garden State Plaza food court.
Police said they determined the weapon was a realistic-seeming BB handgun after surrounding Rivera and taking it from him.
According to authorities, Rivera said he was carrying the weapon because he was afraid of others who might also be at the shopping center. He was charged with possession of an imitation firearm for an unlawful purpose.
Information on a lawyer for Rivera was not immediately available.
