SYRACUSE, NY – A white umbrella with a samurai-style handle triggered a heavy police response and full lockdown at Destiny USA mall on Thursday afternoon, after multiple 911 callers mistook it for a high-powered rifle.
The chaos began around 3:22 p.m., when Syracuse Police responded to reports of a suspicious man seen carrying what appeared to be an AR-15-style weapon near North Geddes Street and Spencer Street. A second call at 3:43 p.m. placed the man near Hiawatha Street and Solar Street, where the caller reported the individual “cocked the gun” and slung it over his shoulder.
Police launched a wide-area search, deploying officers, drone units, and placing Onondaga County’s Air 1 on standby. The search zone included the Creek Walk and Destiny USA shopping center.
At approximately 4:04 p.m., a Syracuse police detective assigned to the mall detail reviewed security camera footage and identified the suspect riding an escalator inside Destiny USA. The mall was immediately placed on lockdown, and officers moved in. Moments later, a false report of a gunshot in the mall’s canyon area added to the confusion, though police on the scene quickly confirmed no shots had been fired.
By 4:10 p.m., officers detained the man near the 110 Grill in the mall’s food court. Upon inspection, the suspected weapon was found to be a large umbrella — carried in a strap over the shoulder — with a handle fashioned in the style of a samurai sword, closely resembling the barrel of a long gun.
The man was transported to Syracuse Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division for questioning. Police say he was fully cooperative, and after reviewing surveillance footage and speaking with witnesses, detectives determined he had not committed a crime. He was released without charges.
The entire incident, though tense and fast-moving, was resolved within less than an hour. Syracuse Police praised the rapid response of on-site officers and credited the department’s partnership with mall ownership for helping quickly secure and reopen the facility.