While initial reports are scarce and there is no confirmation yet, moments ago a ProPublica reporter wrote that according to LA law enforcement, a suspect dressed in a camouflage outfit and wearing a security badge, transporting explosives and assault weapons, was arrested in West Hollywood, a popular neighborhood among the Los Angeles gay community, just as the local gay pride Parade was set to begin.
Source: this just went out to top LA law enforcement officials. Suspect w/ assault weapons, camo arrested in WeHo. pic.twitter.com/9pfBt72spK
— Robert Faturechi (@RobertFaturechi) June 12, 2016
@RobertFaturechi we are putting appropriate resources in place. The arrest was Santa Monica PD. The FBI is investigating
— whd90c (@90cwhd) June 12, 2016
As a reminder, tens of thousands of people were expected to flood West Hollywood on Sunday for the annual L.A. Pride Parade. The festival celebrating the region’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community kicked off Friday with a musical lineup that features more than 40 artists, headlined by pop stars Charli XCX and Carly Rae Jepsen. Held in West Hollywood Park, festival hours are 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday and noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday.
If confirmed, this may suggest some coordination in attacks targeting gay events across the US.
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Update from the LA Times:
Authorities in Santa Monica found possible explosives as well as assault rifles and ammunition in the car of a man who told them he was in town for the L.A. Pride festival in West Hollywood, a law enforcement source said.
Early Sunday, there was a call to Santa Monica police of a suspected prowler near Olympic Boulevard and 11th Street. Patrol officers responded and encountered an individual who told officers he was waiting for a friend. That led officers to inspect the car and find several weapons and a lot of ammunition as well as tannerite, an ingredient that could be used to create a pipe bomb.
The car had Indiana plates. He did make comments that he was in town for the pride event in West Hllywood this weekend. Sources said they did not know of any connection between the gay nightclub shooting in Orlando, Fla., early Sunday morning and the Santa Monica incident, and the investigation has been taken over by FBI.
The parade comes hours after the attack at the Orlando club that killed 50 people. At least 53 were injured in the deadliest shooting in American history after a gunman took hostages. The gunman has been identified as 29-year-old Omar Mateen, a U.S. law enforcement official said.
West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath said in a statement that sheriff’s officials are stepping up security efforts around Sunday parade and other festivities. But she said officials do not believe there is any threat around Sunday’s activities.
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