LEXINGTON, S.C. — Lexington Police say Brian Lee Carlson has been arrested. Deputies from the Lexington County Sheriff's Department assisted in Carlson's capture.
Officers were looking for 38-year-old Carlson, who they believe unlawfully presented himself as a police officer on June 7 at a local convenience store. Several hours after the encounter at the Murphy USA gas station at 500 West Main Street, the victims in the case contacted the actual police.
They said the suspect was in the store around 11 p.m. carrying a gun and "a shiny object that looked like a badge" on his belt.
The victims said the man came to them in the parking lot and claimed one of them stole a can of beer. At the time, the victims said they didn't know the man wasn't an officer. So, they submitted to questioning and a vehicle search. The victims also told police they didn't feel they could leave since the suspect had his hand on his holstered gun.
Witnesses said Carlson told them they could leave when he found nothing in their vehicle.
Police had issued a warrant for his arrest on a charge of impersonating a police officer.