The US Secret Service arrested a man near the White House on Thursday night after finding three firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition in a stolen vehicle, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said, after the suspect allegedly told officers that voices in his head were telling him to kill President Donald Trump.
The suspect, identified by DHS as 26-year-old Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, a Venezuelan national, was approached by officers after they noticed him acting suspiciously in a car parked on Constitution Avenue, alongside the White House complex. He is now in the custody of the US Marshals Service, facing a string of firearms and vehicle charges.
According to DHS, officers discovered an AR-15-style rifle, a MAC-10 and a Glock 43X pistol in the vehicle, along with dozens of rounds of ammunition. The car had been reported stolen.
What happened on Constitution Avenue
The arrest unfolded late on Thursday, 5 November. Secret Service officers on patrol noticed a man acting suspiciously in a parked car on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., and approached the vehicle, according to the DHS statement issued on Friday.
When officers confronted him, the suspect told them he was hearing voices in his head telling him to come to Washington and kill President Trump, DHS said. He then admitted that he had weapons in the vehicle. A search confirmed three different firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition, and officers also found that the vehicle had been reported stolen.
According to a court affidavit cited by Times Now, officers found Chrinos asleep inside a blue Ford F-150 when they approached him at 23:42 local time on Thursday. He was arrested and charged, and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) lodged a detainer for him with the US Marshals Service, where he remains in custody.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Thursday evening, 5 November | Secret Service officers approach a man acting suspiciously in a parked car on Constitution Avenue, beside the White House |
| 23:42 local time, Thursday | According to a court affidavit, officers find the suspect asleep in a blue Ford F-150 |
| Thursday night | The suspect tells officers he hears voices telling him to kill President Trump; a search finds three firearms and dozens of rounds in a stolen vehicle; he is arrested |
| Friday, 6 November | DHS announces the arrest; charges are filed and ICE lodges a detainer; the suspect is held in US Marshals Service custody |
The charges
Chrinos has been charged with carrying a rifle outside of a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm, three counts of unregistered firearms, three counts of unregistered ammunition, possession of certain dangerous weapons, carrying a pistol without a license, unauthorised use of a motor vehicle, theft, and receiving stolen property, according to DHS.
No charge of threatening the president has been announced so far. The charges made public relate to the firearms and the stolen vehicle.
What officials said
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin praised the officers involved, saying in the DHS statement: "Thanks to our brave Secret Service officers, this illegal alien with three firearms in his vehicle was arrested near the White House before he could harm anyone."
"This is the latest example of Secret Service personnel relying on extensive training and experience to deescalate a volatile situation that posed an imminent threat to our protectees and other Americans."
The quote is from US Secret Service Director Sean Curran, who added that the incident "reflects the heightened threat environment in which we operate, as well as the continued number of armed individuals who are drawn to the White House complex".
Curran said the agency was "alarmed by the increase in threat cases that continue to arise" and would keep expanding its focus on investigating people who make threats against its protectees "in order to disrupt threats before they arrive in Washington".
Context: DHS said Chrinos entered the United States illegally through Texas in March 2024, was arrested by the US Border Patrol, and was then released into the country. That account comes from the department's statement; the White House itself did not issue a separate comment on the incident, referring queries to DHS and the Secret Service.
A heightened threat environment
The arrest comes against a backdrop of rising concern inside the Secret Service about people drawn to the White House. According to CNN, the agency has seen a significant uptick in incidents involving mental health issues, and officials say the White House and the presidency can act as a symbolic focal point for people with such issues.
In May, Secret Service officers shot and killed a man with previous mental health issues after he opened fire near a security checkpoint at the White House, CNN reported. Thursday's arrest was resolved without shots being fired.
The incident also follows a series of security scares around the complex in recent years, including vehicles ramming security barricades near the White House. The Secret Service has repeatedly tightened its perimeter and patrol routines in response.
What is not yet known: DHS has not said whether President Trump was at the White House at the time of the arrest, and no motive beyond the suspect's alleged statement to officers has been established. The claim about hearing voices is the suspect's own account as reported by DHS — it is not a medical finding, and no information about his mental health history has been made public. No court date has been announced.
Frequently asked questions
Who was arrested?
Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, 26, a Venezuelan national. DHS said he entered the United States illegally through Texas in March 2024.
What was found in the vehicle?
Three firearms — an AR-15-style rifle, a MAC-10 and a Glock 43X pistol — along with dozens of rounds of ammunition, according to DHS. The vehicle, a blue Ford F-150, had been reported stolen.
What is he charged with?
Firearms and vehicle offences, including carrying a rifle outside a home or business, unlawful transportation of firearms, possession of unregistered firearms and ammunition, carrying a pistol without a licence, unauthorised use of a motor vehicle, theft, and receiving stolen property. No charge of threatening the president has been announced.
Where is he now?
In the custody of the US Marshals Service. ICE has lodged a detainer for him.
Was anyone hurt?
No. DHS said the suspect was arrested before he could harm anyone, and no shots were fired during the arrest.
Key takeaways
- Secret Service officers arrested a 26-year-old man near the White House late on Thursday after finding three firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition in a stolen vehicle.
- According to DHS, the suspect told officers he heard voices telling him to come to Washington and kill President Trump.
- He faces multiple firearms and vehicle charges and is held in US Marshals Service custody, with an ICE detainer lodged.
- Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the agency is "alarmed by the increase in threat cases" and is expanding work to disrupt threats before they reach Washington.
- It is not yet known whether the president was at the White House at the time, and no charge of threatening the president has been announced.
What to watch next
The case will now move through the courts, where the firearms and vehicle charges will be heard. Watch for any additional federal charges, for the suspect's first court appearance, and for whether prosecutors present further evidence about his movements and intentions in Washington. The Secret Service is also likely to face questions about how a man carrying three firearms in a stolen vehicle came to be parked beside the White House complex — and whether its patrols around Constitution Avenue will change as a result.
