- Oct 16, 1999
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This does deserve its own thread.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/california-west-hollywood-suspect-aresenal/index.html
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-gay-pride-la-weapons-20160612-snap-story.html
http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/california-west-hollywood-suspect-aresenal/index.html
James Wesley Howell, a 20-year-old Indiana man, was arrested in California on Sunday while headed toward the LA Pride festival, allegedly with an arsenal of weapons.
Officers arrested Howell about 5 a.m. PT after getting a call about a prowler, Los Angeles Interim Undersheriff Neal Tyler said. Howell told police he was looking for a friend to attend the LA Pride festival in West Hollywood, Tyler said.
Police found him sitting in a car registered in Indiana and a search turned up three assault rifles, high-capacity magazines, ammunition and a 5-gallon bucket with chemicals that could be used to create an explosive device, officials said.
So far, there is no connection to the attack at the gay nightclub in Orlando, and no conclusive connection to an LA Pride threat other than the man saying he was there to attend the festival, Tyler said.
Early in the investigation authorities had sent mixed messages about whether he admitted planning an attack in the hours after a mass shooting in Florida that left 50 dead and at least 53 injured.
Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks said on Twitter that Howell told an officer during his arrest on weapons charges that he wanted "to harm Gay Pride event."
But she provided no specifics and at a press conference three hours later, Lt. Saul Rodriguez suggested the tweet may have been born from a miscommunication.
In a tweet Sunday evening, Seabrooks said, "Tweet should have read: Howell was going to event. He's now being held in weapons & explosives charges."
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-gay-pride-la-weapons-20160612-snap-story.html
...
Early Sunday, Santa Monica police received a call about a suspected prowler who was knocking on a residents door and window about 5 a.m. in the 1700 block of 11th Street, Santa Monica police said. Patrol officers responded and encountered Howell, who was sitting in a car registered in Indiana, police said. Officers inspected the car and found three assault rifles, high-capacity ammunition and a 5-gallon bucket containing chemicals capable of forming an improvised explosive device, police said.
A law enforcement source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the contents of the bucket included Tannerite, an ingredient that could be used to create a pipe bomb. The maker of the material said that was not the case and that it can only be detonated by high-velocity impact such as a bullet strike. But Tannerite is known as a material used in the construction of other types of explosive devices.
The source, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation, said authorities also found camouflage clothing in the car.
Los Angeles County sheriffs officials said the suspect told police he was going to the Pride parade to look for a friend. Authorities were looking for that individual.
Santa Monica police spokesman Saul Rodriguez said detectives are not aware of what the suspects intentions were at this point.
Santa Monica police continued to search the suspects white Acura on Sunday morning. All four of the cars doors were open and a green blanket, red gasoline canister and several other smaller items were being piled on the sidewalk next to it. The cars license plate included a symbol of the National Rifle Assn. on the left side and the bottom said, "Teaching Freedom."
A Facebook page for Howell said he attended high school in Louisville, Ky., and lives in Jeffersonville, Ind., where he works for an air filtration company. A car enthusiast, Howell posted numerous photographs of the Acura along with a couple of videos taken from inside cars. Another 10-second video includes gunfire, with shots striking grass.
The site includes political posts, including one in which he compares Hillary Clinton to Adolf Hitler. In another, he repeats conspiracy theories that the government was behind notorious terrorist attacks, including Sept. 11, 2001. That post shares a video claiming that last years terror attack on the Paris offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was a hoax and attributable to the New World Order.
They found him with weapons that were very disconcerting," said one source, adding officials are "taking the appropriate safety precautions."
...
According to Indiana court records, Howell was charged in October 2015 with intimidation and felony pointing a firearm at another person. On April 19, Howell pleaded guilty to misdemeanor intimidation, and prosecutors dropped the charge of pointing a firearm. Court records show he was sentenced to a year in state prison and placed on probation. Under the deal, He agreed to forfeit all weapons during his term of probation.
Howell allegedly pointed a gun at his neighbors in the October incident, according to a News and Tribune article. In the article, witnesses also described Howell as having pointed his gun at his boyfriend in an earlier incident.
James is going to get someone hurt, one witness said, the article said. He needs to stop pointing guns at people.
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