Case continued for Ft. Bragg soldier charged in gun-toting mall incident
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- The case has been continued for a Fort Bragg soldier charged in a recent gun-toting incident at Cross Creek Mall.
Bryan Wolfinger, 25, appeared in Cumberland County District Court Thursday morning to face a charge of "Going Armed to the Terror of the Public." In addition to the case being continued, Wolfinger was directed by the judge not to carry or operate weapons outside his military duties pending the case.
Wolfinger was charged following a July incident at Cross Creek Mall when he carried an AR-15 and accessories into a photo shoot on an outside wing of the mall.
As he exited the photo studio, shoppers panicked and called 911. Fayetteville Police evacuated a major department store as they investigated.
On Tuesday, Wolfinger told Judge Lou Olivera that he'd hired attorneys David Courie and Mark Hearp to represent him in the case. His chain of command was also present in the courtroom.
Wolfinger, a specialist in the Army, declined to comment through his attorney who escorted him to his car from the courtroom.
Read more here: Police: Soldier was carrying loaded magazines during rifle-toting incident at mall.
Courie said his goal is to move forward in the case with little disruption to the young soldier's military career. He said once all the facts in the case are revealed, the situation will likely appear differently than the way many originally saw it.
"This is a regrettable situation for him or anybody in it," said Courie. "Again, I think he can best show his mindset in that he fully cooperated with law enforcement at the very initial stages, at the very first contact, followed instructions, and has continued to do so through counsel to this day, and we'll continue to do so. I think that is the best reflection of his mindset."
Wolfinger appears in court again in August.
