Screen cap of a photo in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times is reporting that Santa Monica police there have arrested a man after finding assault rifles, ammunition and possible explosives in his car.
Police responding to calls about a possible prowler near Olympic Boulevard and 11th Street found the man, who told them he was waiting for a friend, and that he was in town for the L.A. Pride celebration in West Hollywood. When officers inspected his car, which has Indiana license plates, they found several weapons and a lot of ammunition as well as tannerite, an ingredient that could be used to create a pipe bomb, the LA Times notes.
A city official in West Hollywood also confirmed the arrest and stressed that officials were beefing up security at the gay Pride event, the Times reports, noting, “One source in West Hollywood said there was discussion of calling off the parade but that officials decided to go forward, with heavy security including undercover officers in the crowd.”
Authorities have said they know of no links between Omar Mateen, the man who killed 50 people and wounded at least 53 more in a shooting early this morning at Pulse, an Orlando, Fla., gay bar.
