VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) — The Valdosta Police Department arrested a Valdosta resident in relation to an incident with a gun early Saturday morning.
According to the Valdosta Police Department Public Information report, 39-year-old Carlos Mathis was arrested on Saturday and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The report adds Mathis also had an active arrest warrant in Lowndes County.
Mathis entered a convenience store in the area of the 600 block of East Hill Avenue.
The report notes Mathis and an individual in the store were engaged in a conversation. During the conversation, Mathis is accused of displaying a handgun and the other individual in the store put his hands in the air.
Mathis then exited the store. The Valdosta Police said it took Mathis, who was to the side of the store, in custody.
Officers located the handgun Mathis had in the dumpster beside where he was located. Officers watched the surveillance video from the store and verified that Mathis had thrown his gun into the dumpster.
Officers spoke with the individual who was observed with his hands up, and he confirmed that Mathis pointed a gun at him, but he did not want to prosecute Mathis.
“This was outstanding work by our responding officers, who arrived on the scene quickly before Mathis was able to leave the area," Valdosta Police chief Leslie Manahan said in a statement in the report. “They investigated the case thoroughly and recovered the handgun that was used.”
