A Venezuelan man arrested near White House has drawn attention after US Secret Service agents allegedly discovered three firearms and ammunition inside a stolen pickup truck parked near the presidential complex. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the suspect told officers 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 blue Ford F-150 parked on Constitution Avenue. The officer approached the vehicle after noticing suspicious activity and asked the occupant whether he was safe and carrying weapons.
According to a criminal complaint filed in DC Superior Court, the man nodded when asked about weapons and made a finger-gun gesture.
The suspect, identified as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa-Chrinos, communicated with investigators through Google Translate. He reportedly claimed that someone had tried to kill him with a firearm and that he had taken it away from that person.
Three Firearms and Ammunition Recovered
A search of the vehicle led investigators to recover three firearms: a MAC-10 machine pistol, a Glock 43x pistol and an AR-15 rifle. Authorities also found dozens of rounds of ammunition.
Investigators subsequently determined that the Ford F-150 had been reported stolen in South Carolina.
DHS said Guanipa-Chrinos told officers that voices in his head had instructed him to travel to Washington and kill Trump. However, the alleged statement about the voices does not appear in the criminal complaint affidavit.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran described the incident as an example of the heightened security threat environment surrounding the White House.
He said agents were trained to respond to such situations but expressed concern over the continued presence of armed individuals near the presidential complex.
Suspect Faces Multiple Firearms and Theft Charges
Guanipa-Chrinos was taken into custody and faces multiple charges, including unauthorised use of a vehicle, receiving stolen property, carrying a pistol without a licence and carrying a rifle without a licence, along with other firearms-related offences.
He appeared before the DC Superior Court on Friday and remains in custody without bond, according to online court records.
DHS described him as an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela who entered the United States through Texas in March 2024. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an immigration detainer against him.
The investigation and legal proceedings will determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and the allegations against the suspect.
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