A man was arrested near the White House on November 5 after U.S. Secret Service (USSS) officers found multiple weapons in his car and he allegedly threatened to kill President Donald Trump. The suspect, identified as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, was approached while parked on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., after acting suspiciously.
Suspect's statements and discovery of weapons
When officers confronted him, Chrinos said he heard voices in his head telling him to come to Washington, D.C., and kill President Trump. Officers then found that the vehicle had been reported stolen, and Chrinos admitted to having weapons inside.
Upon searching the vehicle, officers discovered three firearms, including one rifle, along with dozens of rounds of ammunition, leading to his arrest.
Background and charges
The USSS confirmed that Chrinos is an illegal migrant from Venezuela who entered the United States illegally through Texas in March 2024. He has been charged with carrying a rifle outside of a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm, three counts of unregistered firearms, three counts of unregistered ammunition, possession of certain dangerous weapons, carrying a pistol without a license, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, theft, and receiving stolen property.
Following his arrest, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer for Chrinos with the U.S. Marshals Service, where he is currently in custody.
Official responses
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said: "Thanks to our brave Secret Service officers, this illegal alien with three firearms in his vehicle was arrested near the White House before he could harm anyone. On top of threatening President Trump, he is an illegal alien from Venezuela who had no business being in our country in the first place. This is just an example of the incredible work done by the men and women of the Secret Service every single day as they put their lives on the line to protect our nation’s leaders. It’s an honor to work alongside Director Sean Curran and all of the patriots at the U.S. Secret Service."
U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said: "This is the latest example of Secret Service personnel relying on extensive training and experience to deescalate a volatile situation that posed an imminent threat to our protectees and other Americans. This incident reflects the heightened threat environment in which we operate, as well as the continued number of armed individuals who are drawn to the White House complex. While our personnel are trained to respond to situations like this and we remain confident in our tactics, we are alarmed by the increase in threat cases that continue to arise. The Secret Service will continue expanding our focus on proactively investigating and identifying individuals who make threats to our protectees, in order to disrupt threats before they arrive in Washington."
