Authorities arrested a man in California who allegedly posed as a member of the National Guard while carrying a semi-automatic rifle.
National Guard members noticed Gregory Wong, 31, as he attempted to fall into formation with other troops and called over Los Angeles police officers, leading to his eventual arrest, according to ABC7 News.
Wong reportedly took an Uber to the downtown area and carried a homemade “ghost gun” that did not contain a serial number. He was arrested at approximately 1:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. He is presently being held on a $50,000 bond.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, mobilized over 4,500 troops of the National Guard in his state, primarily in Southern California, to keep protests peaceful following the death of George Floyd.
Most protests have reportedly been peaceful in the state, but some individuals have taken advantage of the events to loot local businesses.
During a speech in the Rose Garden on Monday, Trump said that “domestic terrorists” were responsible for the acts of vandalism, looting, and arson that have occurred since Floyd’s death, encouraging state governors to mobilize the National Guard to prevent crime amid the protests.
“A police precinct has been overrun. Here in the nation’s capital, the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial have been vandalized,” Trump said in his remarks, though claiming he was an ally of peaceful protesters. “One of our most historic churches was set ablaze. A federal officer in California and an African American enforcement hero was shot and killed. These are not acts of peaceful protests. These are acts of domestic terror.”
Trump threatened to send military troops into the states himself if governors failed to stop the growing wave of violent, nationwide protests that have occurred in the past week.
“If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents,” he said, “then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them.”
