United States Secret Service officers arrested an armed man parked just blocks from the White House late on Thursday night, after he allegedly told them voices in his head had ordered him to travel to Washington and kill President Donald Trump. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) named the man on Friday as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, a Venezuelan national, and said three firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition were found inside the vehicle he was occupying.
FAKTA
- Arrest: Night of Thursday 5 November, Constitution Avenue, near the White House in Washington
- Suspect: Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, a Venezuelan national
- Weapons found: AR-15-style rifle, MAC-10 handgun and Glock 43X pistol, plus dozens of rounds of ammunition
- Vehicle: Blue Ford F-150 pickup, reported stolen
- Charges: Multiple firearms counts, including unregistered weapons and ammunition, plus vehicle theft and unlawful use
- Custody: Held by the US Marshals Service; immigration detainer lodged
Stopped on Constitution Avenue
Officers approached the pickup at about 11.42pm after noticing the driver behaving suspiciously, according to DHS. NBC News reported that the man was asleep inside the blue Ford F-150 when an officer tapped on the window, and that he then allegedly spoke of voices telling him to come to Washington and kill the president.
A search of the vehicle uncovered the three firearms and the ammunition, and officers found the pickup had been reported stolen. The stop took place in the 1600 block of Constitution Avenue NW, near the Ellipse and a short distance from the White House complex.
Charges and immigration background
Chrinos faces a series of firearms charges, DHS said, including carrying a rifle outside a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm, and three counts each of possessing unregistered firearms and unregistered ammunition. He also faces charges linked to the stolen vehicle.
He appeared before the DC Superior Court on Friday and remains in custody without bond, according to court records. DHS said he entered the United States illegally through Texas in March 2024, was arrested by the US Border Patrol and was later released into the country while his case proceeded. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer asking that he remain in custody. He is now held by the US Marshals Service.
Officials praise the officers
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin praised the Secret Service officers for acting before anyone was harmed. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the incident showed the value of the agency’s training and its officers’ ability to defuse dangerous situations. The White House did not comment and referred questions to DHS and the Secret Service.
No charge of attempted assassination or of threatening the president was reported in the initial court filings, and the allegations against the suspect have yet to be tested in court. The Secret Service has said it has recorded a sharp rise in incidents near the White House linked to mental health difficulties.
For more coverage of developments across the United States, visit Watan News.
