A heavily armed man who said he was heading to a gay pride parade in Los Angeles was arrested on Sunday, mayor Eric Garcetti said.
Mr Garcetti, speaking at the opening of the LA Pride Festival, expressed his horror at the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, early yesterday and said it appeared the arrest near Los Angeles was unrelated to the Florida attack, in which 50 people were killed and 53 injured.
Mr Garcetti pledged that the Los Angles festival would proceed.
He said the arrest occurred after a tip-off from a suspicious resident.
Police received a call about a man lurking in Santa Monica and when they searched his car they found firearms and an ingredient that used to make pipe bombs.
Police did not release his name. The car he was driving had Indiana licence plates.
FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said the arrest was made by Santa Monica police and that the FBI was assisting in the investigation.
Suspect’s car
According to law enforcement officials cited by the
Los Angeles Times
, a search of the suspect’s car turned up several weapons, ammunition and explosives.
Santa Monica Police declined to comment on the incident and referred calls to the FBI, as did the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, which also assisted in the arrest.
– (Reuters)