A Venezuelan national was arrested near the White House after US Secret Service agents discovered three firearms and ammunition inside a stolen pickup truck. The suspect allegedly told authorities that voices had instructed him to travel to Washington, DC, and kill President Donald Trump.
The incident occurred shortly before midnight on Thursday when a Secret Service officer spotted a suspicious blue Ford F-150 parked on Constitution Avenue. The officer approached the vehicle and questioned the man, identified as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa-Chrinos.
A subsequent search uncovered an AR-15 rifle, a MAC-10 machine pistol, a Glock 43x handgun, and dozens of rounds of ammunition. Investigators also found that the vehicle had been reported stolen in South Carolina.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the suspect told officers that voices in his head had instructed him to target Trump. However, this statement was not included in the criminal complaint affidavit.
Guanipa-Chrinos faces several charges, including vehicle theft-related offences and carrying firearms without proper licences. He appeared in DC Superior Court on Friday and remains in custody without bond.
DHS said he entered the United States through Texas in March 2024. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also issued a detainer against him.