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A Cottage Grove man who allegedly twirled a handgun on his finger while in a car at East Towne Mall was arrested a few minutes later after a shopper saw the gun and called police.

Santiago Araiza-Font, 20, was tentatively charged with disorderly conduct while armed and possession of marijuana, Madison police said.

The incident happened at about 3:40 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the shopping mall.

A woman was looking for a parking spot when she saw a driver point a gun at another man, the woman calling 911.

"The victim was also driving a car and didn't call police," said police spokesman Joel DeSpain. "An officer was on the scene a minute later and pulled the suspect over."

The handgun, allegedly found under Araiza-Font's driver's seat, was a BB gun.

"He eventually admitted he rolled down a window and twirled the weapon on his finger so a friend in another car could capture an image for Snapchat," DeSpain said.

Araiza-Font denied pointing the gun at anyone.

"He said he normally uses the BB gun to shoot squirrels," DeSpain said.

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