Los Angeles police arrested a man who was driving a car loaded with guns and explosives and who said he was on his way to a gay Pride parade in West Hollywood Sunday.
The arrest comes just hours after 50 people were killed in a terror attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
A police alert concerning the arrest said the car was stopped in Santa Monica, just a few miles from the large Pride celebration.
"Inside the vehicle units discovered 5 lbs mixed tannerite type powder with assault weapons, long rifles clips loaded and taped together, camouflage outfit, and a security badge."
"The suspect who was taken into custody state he was here for the West Hollywood festival"
Source: this just went out to top LA law enforcement officials. Suspect w/ assault weapons, camo arrested in WeHo. pic.twitter.com/9pfBt72spK
-- Robert Faturechi (@RobertFaturechi) June 12, 2016
Scene in Santa Monica where suspect was arrested. Police say car was filled with weapons and explosives. pic.twitter.com/9Qxzlq1P9l
-- ★ Jennifer Wolfe ★ (@TheeWolfe) June 12, 2016
The Los Angeles Times reports:
Early Sunday, Santa Monica police received a call of a suspected prowler near Olympic Boulevard and 11th Street. Patrol officers responded and encountered an individual who told officers he was waiting for a friend. That led officers to inspect the car and find several weapons and a lot of ammunition as well as tannerite, an ingredient that could be used to create a pipe bomb.
The car had Indiana plates. The man was arrested and made comments that he was in town for the Pride event in West Hollywood this weekend. The festival is going ahead with tightened security, and police are looking for the friend mentioned by the suspect.
The annual L.A. Pride parade, which is a celebrity-filled annual event, went on as scheduled but with extra security focus.
The LA PRIDE Parade and Festival will continue today as we stand strong. #ThePrideMustGoOn pic.twitter.com/WWOLWagSU8
-- LA PRIDE (@LAPRIDE) June 12, 2016
