Cops Bust Banana Toting an AK-47

A Beaumont, Texas, gun shop got a little more attention that it had bargained for with a rather unusual promotional stunt—a teenager in a banana costume standing by the road with an AK-47 on Saturday morning. Police briefly detained the 18-year-old after fielding calls from concerned citizens who saw him at a busy intersection, reports the Houston Chronicle. The police press release notes, "The rifle had a drum magazine attached with at least a 50-round capacity."

The teenager, who had the rifle across his back with the barrel pointing down and carried a sign with an arrow pointing to the store, was cited for violating a city ordinance that bans soliciting along roadways, KMBT reports. Golden Triangle Tactical owner Derek Poe says the plan was to alert customers to the store's new location. His shop was previously located in Parkdale Mall, reports 12 News, and Poe had a run-in with cops there in December while walking toward his store with an assault rifle on his back. He says he was within his rights; police charged him with disorderly conduct. (More strange stuff stories.)