Venezuelan man with three guns stopped near White House
Secret Service officers found an AR-15 and two handguns in a stolen truck parked on Constitution Avenue shortly before midnight.
By Malik Salazar ·
A 26-year-old Venezuelan national was taken into federal custody on Thursday night after Secret Service officers discovered three firearms inside a vehicle parked near the White House. The suspect, Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, was identified as a driver of a blue Ford F-150 that authorities reported was stolen. The incident occurred shortly before midnight on Constitution Avenue, placing the vehicle in close proximity to the presidential complex.
The initial discovery was made by a Secret Service officer on patrol who noticed the truck parked along the avenue. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer knocked on the window to assess the driver's condition and asked if he was carrying weapons. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Guanipa Chrinos nodded in response and made a hand gesture mimicking a gun.
After exiting the vehicle, the suspect communicated with investigators using the Google Translate application. He stated, “I have the gun because they tried to kill me with it, and I had to take it away from them; it’s in the brown bag.” Officers searched the truck and recovered an AR-15-style rifle, two handguns, and dozens of rounds of ammunition.
Guanipa Chrinos entered the United States illegally through Texas in March 2024. He is currently held by the US Marshals Service and faces multiple charges related to the incident. These include three counts each for unlawful transportation of a firearm, carrying unregistered firearms, and carrying unregistered ammunition. He also faces charges for possession of dangerous weapons, carrying a pistol without a license, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, theft, and receiving stolen property.
In an affidavit, the suspect allegedly told officers that he had heard voices instructing him to travel to Washington to kill President Donald Trump. Secret Service Director Sean Curran described the event as an imminent threat to those under protection and other Americans. He noted that the situation reflected the heightened threat environment in which security personnel operate, particularly regarding armed individuals drawn to the White House complex.
Curran emphasized that the response relied on extensive training to de-escalate a volatile situation. The arrest follows a series of security concerns regarding the safety of the president. In July 2024, Trump was wounded in the ear by a shooter during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Subsequently, a gunman was discovered near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September. A shooting also occurred during a dinner hosted by the White House Correspondents' Association at the Washington Hilton, where Trump and administration officials were in attendance.
The Department of Homeland Security continues to monitor the situation as Guanipa Chrinos remains in federal custody. The case involves ongoing efforts by security teams to manage threats near the presidential residence. The combination of multiple firearms and the suspect's stated intent serves as a recent example of the vigilance required in the current security environment surrounding the White House.
