North Carolina Sheriff Deputy Denied Engagement Ring due to Gun

by
posted on June 10, 2019
engagement-ring-proposal-marriage.jpg

A sheriff’s deputy in North Carolina was prevented from picking up an engagement ring he ordered when the jeweler kicked him off the premises. The reason? The police officer was wearing his service firearm.

The county sheriff’s deputy was “ready to propose to the love of his life,” according to the sheriff. He drove to the local jeweler store in Statesville during his lunch hour to retrieve the ring—and was promptly escorted off the premises by the manager.

The manager apparently met the unnamed deputy at the door and told him to leave because he was wearing a gun. The policeman informed the manager that he was in uniform and driving his marked patrol car, and was therefore forbidden by policy to remove his service weapon.

The manager apparently was unsympathetic and told the deputy to return at a time when he was not wearing his firearm.

The sheriff’s deputy explained that a deputy cannot disarm as wearing a firearm is part of police duty.

“If an emergency happens, here’s what you have to expect from an officer: an officer is going to be armed. That’s tools of the trade,” the lawman said. 

The Sheriff’s office took to Facebook to address the public on the issue.The post gained nearly 5,000 reactions within five hours of its appearance and has since received more than 9.3K shares and 12K reactions.

The law enforcement officer received an outpouring of support from members of the public and also from many jewelry stores that offered free rings to the couple.

The jeweler store formally issued an apology for the incident, saying the company has “tremendous respect for law enforcement” and “will be sure to reinforce store training regarding our firearm policy with specific regard to uniformed law enforcement.”

“Our policy is that any member of law enforcement is always welcomed in our store at any time, as a customer or in an official capacity,” the store noted on its official Facebook page.

The company announced that the store manager has since been fired.

“On a lighter note, we are beyond excited to report a wedding proposal took place yesterday, and even happier to report, she said “Yes”!” the Iredell County Sheriff wrote on Facebook on Friday.

Latest

concealed-1.jpg
concealed-1.jpg

Does Concealed-Carry Reciprocity Have a Chance?

For millions of law-abiding gun owners across the United States, the right to self-defense should not stop at the state line.

250 Years Later: The Shot Heard ‘Round the World

Today marks two and half centuries since the historic events at Lexington and Concord.

7 Things the Trump Administration Has Done for Our Second Amendment Freedom

In the first months of President Trump’s historic second term, he has wasted no time reaffirming his commitment to protecting and expanding Second Amendment rights across the country.

The Armed Citizen® April 11, 2025

True stories of the right to keep and bear arms

Yet Another Biden ATF Policy Falls

The revocation of this policy is another win for law-abiding gun owners.

The Extraordinary Berettas Of The NRA Museums

This set of five of the finest shotguns ever commissioned by the centuries-old firm has been exhibited in several locations, with a last stop at the NRA museum before returning to Italy.



Get the best of America's 1st Freedom delivered to your inbox.