Christopher Burns spends most of his working day as an area manger for Jimmy John’s Restaurant – but give him 6-seconds and he’ll make you laugh as Stormtrooper Sam.
The movie maker who posts his work on Vine Video caught the attention of Salina Police yesterday after a customer at a downtown business got a little nervous with his Star Wars getup and plastic gun.
Burns tells KSAL News that he was a little surprised at the reaction, “Star Wars is such an iconic image, I was a little bit surprised that someone would see a Stormtrooper and fear when you know it’s been around since the 70’s,” he said.
Multiple police officers responded to the 100 Block of South 7th Street at around 1:00 in the afternoon Monday to the report of a possibly armed man.
A business owner was working with a veteran, when they noticed outside their window a man carrying a gun. The veteran thought that the gun might be an AK-47 rifle, and the business owner called police.
Police counseled the film makers on the potential consequences of their actions in public, urged them to be responsible, and let them go.
Burns tells KSAL News that his brush with police over the plastic gun and costume was educational, “They were really cool and as soon as I told them what I was doing they were really nice about it,” he said.
Captain Mike Sweeney reiterated to members of the media Tuesday morning that open carry of a firearm in public is legal, “But you’re going to draw our attention to find out what you are doing,” he said.
Burns added he plans on releasing his latest four-pack of videos over the next week.
Stormtrooper Sam online: https://twitter.com/SamStormtrooper
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Original Story:
There was a disturbance in “the force” in Downtown Salina Monday afternoon. A man dressed as a Star Wars Stormtrooper, complete with gun, prompted a brief lock down of a downtown business.
Multiple police officers responded to the 100 Block of South 7th Street at around 1:00 in the afternoon to the report of a possibly armed man. A business owner was working with a veteran, when they noticed outside their window a man carrying a gun. The veteran thought that the gun might be an AK-47 rifle, and the business owner called police.
The business was advised to go into lock down as multiple officers responded to the area.
Police tell KSAL News that it turned out to be an honest mistake, and there was no danger.
While a person was visiting an attorney’s office in the area, a friend outside dressed in a full Star Wars Stormtrooper costume was shooting video for a website. The storm trooper was carrying a harmless, plastic gun.
Police counseled the film makers on the potential consequences of their actions in public, urged them to be responsible, and let them go.
Police identify the Storm Trooper as 27-year-old Christopher Burns of Salina. Brown tells KSAL News that he goes by the persona of “Stormtrooper Sam”, and makes short videos on the Vine website.
Stormtrooper Sam walks along South 7th Street Monday afternoon.
