A 17-year-old St. Louis man faces a criminal charge after he carried a concealed handgun into a store at St. Louis Outlet Mall Friday, police said.

Vernel Latchison, 17, of the 2500 block of Warren Street in North St. Louis, was charged Saturday with unlawful use of a weapon.

Hazelwood Police said Latchison was stopped and patted down during a theft investigation at St. Louis Outlet Mall. During a second pat-down, officers found Latchison had a .25 cal Brescia handgun in his jacket pocket, police said.

Latchison was being held Wednesday in St. Louis County jail. Bond was set at $7,500.

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