North Carolina Man Arrested with AR-15 Near New York State Fair Parking Lot

Safety is the number one priority for law enforcement as the Great New York State Fair is off and running. New York State Police and other local police agencies are in full force to protect those taking the trip to Syracuse to take in the sights, concerts, exhibits and delicious fair foods of Interstate-690. Unfortunately, there are always bad actors in the crowd.

New York State Police reported Monday that they arrested a North Carolina man who was acting suspiciously near the Fairgrounds Boulevard exit where people park for the big event. Troopers say they arrested 34-year-old Curtis D. Young of Charlotte, North Carolina and charged him with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, which is a Class D Felony.

State Police officials say Troopers observed Young acting suspiciously after exiting his truck on the ramp for the I-690 exit at State Fair Boulevard. When Troopers approached Young, they interviewed him and police say he admitted he was in possession of an AR-15 assault rifle in his truck. Also in the cab of the truck was a 30-round magazine. This is a big no-no in New York State, especially for an out of state traveler and so close to one of the biggest events in the state.

Young was processed and transported to the Onondaga County Justice Center for arraignment. Kudos go out to the New York State Police for catching the suspicious behavior and preventing a potential dangerous encounter. Young's motivation is unclear and it is not known if he intended to use the AR-15 outside of or near the fairgrounds. More details will be released if they become available. The New York State Fair runs through Labor Day.