A Venezuelan migrant has been arrested near the White House after US Secret Service officers found multiple weapons inside his car. The suspect, Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, was seen acting suspiciously in a parked car on Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC, on Thursday.
After being confronted, he told officers that voices in his head had told him to come to the US capital and kill President Donald Trump, according to Homeland Security. The vehicle he was travelling in had been reported stolen, and he told officers that there were weapons inside it.
Weapons and charges
A search uncovered three firearms, including an AR-15-style assault rifle, a Mac-10, and a Glock 43X. Agents also discovered dozens of rounds of ammunition. Chrinos, described by authorities as an illegal alien from Venezuela, was subsequently arrested.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said: "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."
Chrinos remains in custody and has been charged with the following offences: 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 licence, unauthorised use of a motor vehicle, theft, and receiving stolen property.
Threat environment and immigration status
Following his detention, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a detainer for him. Secret Service director Sean Curran said the incident reflected "the heightened threat environment in which we operate, as well as the continued number of armed individuals who are drawn to the White House".
"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," he added.
Chrinos illegally entered the US through Texas in March 2024 and was arrested by the Border Patrol, according to Homeland Security. It said he was later released at a time when the White House was occupied by former president Joe Biden, Trump's Democratic predecessor.
