Police determined that the lives of bystanders could have been endangered by the suspect, who has a history of disorderly conduct.
Rabat – The General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) in Morocco arrested on June 13 a 30-year-old man for brandishing a hunting rifle on a public highway in Casablanca.
The arrest came after videos of the incident circulated online. The suspect appeared to be brandishing the firearm in a public space, endangering the lives of bystanders.
The DGSN detailed in a press release that the incident documented in the video took place on Friday, June 12 in Casablanca’s Sidi Bernoussi district.
The DGSN investigation revealed the 30-year-old is a repeat offender, previously implicated in cases of domestic abuse, overt public intoxication, and disorderly conduct.
Casablanca police carried out a search at the suspect’s home, located in the city’s Sidi Moumen district. The DGSN seized an electric baton, a knife, and the hunting rifle from the video along with its ammunition, the press release added.
The suspect is in police custody pending further investigations.
Morocco is a destination for trafficked arms, but gun crimes in the country are relatively rare as the right to possess a private gun is not guaranteed under Moroccan law. Gun licenses are permitted for hunting rifles, but the DGSN has not yet announced whether the suspect had a license for the rifle in question.
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