A heavily armed man carrying a rifle painted with Joker-style phrases has been arrested near one of President Donald Trump's golf courses in Los Angeles County, authorities said.
Sean Steiner, 36, from Glendale, was detained by deputies after he was seen running through traffic in Rancho Palos Verdes, on a road that runs directly past the Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles. He was found carrying a semi-automatic short-barreled rifle painted purple and green with the phrases 'why so serious?' and 'let's put a smile on that face', according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
The rifle, which had an orange tip resembling a toy firearm, was loaded with a round in the chamber and a full magazine. Deputies also recovered two loaded handguns, high-capacity magazines and a ballistic vest. Steiner allegedly admitted to firing one of the pistols in the area to 'get some anger out'.
He had been seen hiking on nearby trails wearing rifle-rated body armour, a duffel bag and gloves, and was spotted with a rifle and a step stool. The sheriff's department said: 'Let that sink in. An armed individual, firing a weapon, walking through traffic and trails… in a populated area. Because someone spoke up, deputies were able to safely detain him before anyone was hurt.'
Steiner has been booked on multiple felony firearm charges. The arrest is unrelated to a previous incident at the same golf course in March, when a peaceful protest took place, and to a separate assassination attempt in September 2024 at Trump's Florida golf club, for which Ryan Wesley Routh was sentenced to life in prison.
