Suspect Detained Near White House
A Venezuelan national charged with firearm offenses told agents he heard voices telling him to kill the president.
By Nadia Rahman ·
Residents near the White House complex watched as law enforcement removed a suspect from a vehicle stopped on Constitution Avenue Thursday night. The man, identified as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, was 30 years old and from Venezuela. He is undocumented.
Secret Service agents noticed the car and its driver behaving suspiciously. When officers approached, Chrinos stated that voices in his head told him to kill President Donald Trump. A search of the vehicle found an AR-15 style rifle, two handguns, and ammunition. The car was stolen from South Carolina.
The U.S. Marshals Service took Chrinos into custody. He faces charges for theft, receiving stolen property, carrying a rifle, and other firearm offenses. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on him.
Sean Curran, the U.S. Secret Service Director, commented on the event. He said the incident shows the heightened threat environment where the agency operates. He noted a continued pattern of armed individuals appearing at the White House complex. Curran stated the agency is alarmed by the increase in threat cases.
Department of Homeland Security officials confirmed the details of the arrest and the weapons found. The agency described the situation as part of the ongoing challenges in securing the president's residence.
