Metropolitan Police early Wednesday arrested a Pennsylvania man at the Trump International Hotel who had two firearms and ammunition in his car, officials said.
Working on a tip that a man with gun was driving a car to the Trump hotel, police officers arrested Bryan Moles, 43, of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, around 1 a.m. after he had checked into a room. Officers found an AR-15 assault rifle, a 40-caliber handgun and 90 rounds of ammunition in the suspect’s car, according to police charging documents.
Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham said that Pennsylvania State Police alerted the D.C. police force around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday to the tip.
D.C. police and the Secret Service alerted hotel staffers, who found the suspect’s vehicle in the parking garage. Officers arrested Mr. Moles quickly and without incident or use of force, Chief Newsham said at a press conference at police headquarters.
Mr. Moles was charged with carrying a handgun without a license and possession of unregistered ammunition. Officers said they saw one of the suspect’s firearms in plain view in his vehicle.
The Secret Service said in a statement: “Early this morning, Special Agents from the Secret Service Washington Field Office and officers from the Metropolitan Police Department investigated a report of a potential threat against Secret Service protectees. The Secret Service received information from a concerned citizen and Trump International Hotel Security staff. An individual was subsequently located at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. Agents and officers recovered a semi-automatic assault style rifle and a handgun in the individual’s vehicle.”
A Secret Service official said Wednesday afternoon that “at no time were any Secret Service protectees at risk,” despite media reports earlier in the day that Mr. Moles had made threatening comments
Chief Newsham did not say if a motive had been determined, saying the officers did not have enough information to charge Mr. Moles with making threats.
“I was very concerned about this circumstance, a very peculiar circumstance. I believe we averted a potential disaster in our nation’s capital,” the chief said.
Trump International Hotel issued a statement saying that police had arrested “a guest who was behaving suspiciously” but offered no further details.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called the incident “disturbing” but said the quick arrest was largely due to interstate cooperation between the tipster, Pennsylvania State Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
“Today’s incident is an important reminder that when you see something, it is important to say something to an official,” Miss Bowser said.
⦁ Sally Persons contributed to this report.
• Ryan M. McDermott can be reached at rmcdermott@washingtontimes.com.
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