James Prayer. Courtesy of Gwinnett County Police Department
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Gwinnett County Police Department officers arrested a man after recovering a firearm during a special operation targeting a possible teen takeover.
What we know:
Police said officers were working a detail on March 14 when they spotted a man wearing a ski mask leaving the area where the takeover was reported. Aviation units were called in to maintain visual surveillance as the man walked to a nearby parking lot.
Investigators said the man was seen placing a backpack on the ground before walking away from it and loading an electric bike into a friend’s vehicle. Officers later retrieved the backpack and found a firearm inside.
A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle, where officers identified 33-year-old James Prayer as a passenger. Police said Prayer claimed he should not be charged because the gun was not on him.
What they're saying:
Authorities said Prayer, a convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm and was taken into custody.