The Jackson Police Department arrested a man who is said to have pointed a gun at a police officer for the sake of a social media post.
Steven Perry Jr., 24, was arrested just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday while a search warrant was being executed in the 5000 block of Baxter Drive.
Before his arrest, JPD issued a press release noting they were searching for a suspect who pointed a gun at an officer sitting inside a patrol vehicle on Tuesday at the intersection of Robinson Road and Highway 80. The person now believed to be Perry was in a different vehicle and snapped a photo before sharing it on Instagram. No shots were fired during the incident.
JPD Chief Joseph Wade called the situation a “terroristic threat” and said the handgun in the photo was equipped with a machine gun conversion device, which is illegal in Mississippi.
“This incident will be investigated as a terroristic threat. It will not be prosecuted as a simple misdemeanor pointing and aiming,” Wade said, adding the department will work with state and federal partners to seek maximum penalties. “We will not allow individuals to point guns at law enforcement and expect no repercussions.”