VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A DeBary man was arrested Friday after a deputy found a knife in his shoes during a courthouse security screening in DeLand, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.
Austin Irvine, 26, entered the screening area of the Volusia County Courthouse in DeLand Friday morning, placing his belongings in a bin and walking through the courthouse’s metal detector, deputies said.
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As Irvine passed through, deputies said the metal detector was alerted to something in the area of his feet, prompting deputies to check his shoes.
According to deputies, Irvine had the knife concealed in the sole of the right shoe. Deputies said Irvine claimed he didn’t know the knife was in the shoe and that the shoes weren’t even his.
Irvine was arrested and faces a misdemeanor charge for carrying a concealed weapon into a courthouse.
Deputies said Irvine was under a risk protection order — commonly known as a “red flag law” — due to an incident in September 2021 in Irvine’s home where he fired a shotgun at people who didn’t exist.
Risk protection orders were introduced following the school shooting inside Stoneman Douglas High School back in 2018, which were aimed to keep firearms out of the hands of someone deemed a threat to themselves or others.
Online records show Volusia County has sought risk protection orders more than 30 times so far in 2022. Data also shows more than 70 risk protection orders were filed in both 2020 and 2021.
However, deputies added that Irvine’s risk protection order only applies to firearms and ammunition, not to other weapons, and is set to expire in September.
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