A South Florida man is behind bars Wednesday after authorities say he impersonated a cop and brought a loaded handgun into a Broward courthouse.
Francois Brown, 39, was arrested Tuesday and charged with trespass, carrying a concealed firearm and falsely impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to a Broward Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit.
According to the affidavit, Brown walked into the Broward County South Regional Courthouse Tuesday afternoon carrying a black backpack that contained a loaded .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun, an additional loaded magazine and six boxes of ammunition with over 100 bullets.
When officers put the backpack through an x-ray machine, they immediately spotted the weapon, the affidavit said.
Brown was asked if he was with a law enforcement agency and he told them he was, but officers quickly determined he wasn't, the affidavit said.
Police say during questioning, Brown gave some frightening answers as to why he brought the gun to the courthouse.
"When questioned about the situation, Brown began to talk about his divorce and communications he was receiving through a clicking noise that he would make with his mouth," the affidavit said. "I asked Brown if the communications that he was receiving had told him to shoot people when he got into the courthouse, would he have done so. Brown stated that he may have and it would depend on the situation."
Authorities say Brown, who was discharged from the Army in 2010 and said he suffers from PTSD, told officers he takes the gun and ammo with him everywhere he goes, despite not having a concealed weapons permit.
"When he was asked why he brought the firearm into the courthouse, Brown stated that he thought it might be relevant to something he was doing at the courthouse," the affidavit said.
The affidavit said Brown's sister was with him at the time of his arrest, and that she told officers she didn't know why he claimed to be an officer.
Brown was being held on $75,000 bond Wednesday. It was unknown whether he has an attorney.
