Law enforcement officials arrested a man carrying a concealed weapon without a permit near the Republican National Convention (RNC) site in Milwaukee on Monday, according to a criminal complaint released by the Milwaukee County district attorney's office.
As reported by CNN, officers patrolling outside the convention spotted the suspect, identified as Donnell Tinsley, wearing dark clothing, a ski mask, and carrying a large tactical backpack. The arrest occurred on the same day former President Donald Trump made his first appearance at the RNC following the Pennsylvania attack, which had prompted increased security measures around the venue.
New : MAN ARMED WITH AK-47 ARRESTED NEAR RNC IN MILWAUKEE
Homeland Security and Capitol Police noticed the suspicious man, identified as Donnell Tinsley, 21, carrying a tactical bag containing the gun and a full magazine.
His intentions are unclear.
Tinsley faces a misdemeanor… pic.twitter.com/QFYKwwYxsY
— AMERICAN NEWS DESK (@AmericaHistory8) July 17, 2024
Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Capitol Police approached Tinsley after observing him walking away from an RNC security checkpoint. Upon questioning, Tinsley denied having a firearm and consented to a search. However, authorities quickly discovered a concealed AK-47 in his backpack, for which Tinsley admitted he did not have a permit.
Further inspection of Tinsley's belongings revealed a fully loaded magazine with 7.62X39 caliber rifle ammunition, according to the complaint. Additional items found included a flashlight, gloves, sunglasses, two cans of spray paint, a mask from the movie "Scream," an Allied Universal Security uniform shirt, and multiple empty marijuana bags. Two cellphones were also discovered during a secondary pat-down.
Milwaukee police confirmed that Tinsley did not possess a concealed weapon permit in Wisconsin or any other state. The suspect now faces a misdemeanor charge that could result in up to nine months in prison and a $10,000 fine. According to Wisconsin Circuit Court records, Tinsley underwent a competency examination on Wednesday morning via video conference.
Allied Universal Security, whose uniform was found in Tinsley's possession, clarified to CNN that he was not employed by them at the time of the incident but was a former employee. Spokesperson Kari Garcia stated, "As with all Allied Universal security professionals, as a condition of employment, he passed an industry-leading, pre-hire background screening process before being assigned to an unarmed position. His alleged behavior is wholly inconsistent with Allied Universal values and is not representative of our dedicated employees who work to keep communities safe."
