Washington, DC: Man With Three Guns Arrested Near White House After Telling Officers Voices Told Him to Kill Trump

Secret Service officers arrested a man near the White House on Thursday evening after he told them that voices in his head had told him to come to Washington and kill President Donald Trump, and officers then found three firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition in the stolen car he was sitting in, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Friday.

Officers approached the man on Thursday evening, November 5, after they saw him acting suspiciously in his car while it was parked on Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC, the department said. When officers confronted him, he said he had heard voices in his head telling him to come to the nation's capital and kill President Trump. Officers then learned that the car had been reported stolen, and the man admitted that he had weapons inside it.

Three firearms recovered

Officers recovered three firearms from the car: an AR-15 style rifle, a Mac 10 and a Glock 43X, along with dozens of rounds of ammunition, the department said. The suspect was arrested at the scene. No one was hurt.

The department identified the suspect as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, a Venezuelan national. It said Chrinos entered the United States illegally through Texas in March 2024, was arrested by the US Border Patrol, and was then released into the country.

Charges and custody

Chrinos 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, the department said. After the arrest, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer for Chrinos with the US Marshals Service, and he remains in Marshals custody. The charges are allegations and have not been decided in court.

"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," Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in the statement. Curran said the case reflects a heightened threat environment and a continued number of armed individuals drawn to the White House complex.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the man was arrested near the White House "before he could harm anyone" and praised the officers who made the arrest.

The Associated Press reported that the arrest is the latest in a series of arrests the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies have made against people who have threatened President Trump or members of his family since he returned to office last year. The White House gave no comment and referred questions to the Homeland Security Department and the Secret Service.