An armed man accused of impersonating a U.S. Marshal was arrested at a campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in Los Angeles on Friday.
The incident happened at a theater in Los Angeles where Mr. Kennedy was giving a speech on Hispanic Heritage.
Mr. Kennedy said on X, formerly Twitter, the man was first nabbed by members of his security detail from the Gavin De Becker and Associates security firm. The man was later taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department.
“The man, wearing two shoulder holsters with loaded pistols and spare ammunition magazines, was carrying a U.S. Marshal badge on a lanyard and belt clip federal ID,” Mr. Kennedy said. “He identified himself as a member of my security detail.”
Authorities from the LAPD said that the man, who has not been identified, will likely be booked with gun charges.
Mr. Kennedy has been calling for Secret Service protection throughout his bid for the Democratic nomination and renewed the request following the incident at his campaign event.
“I’m still entertaining a hope that President Biden will allow me Secret Service protection,” Mr. Kennedy said. “I am the first presidential candidate in history to whom the White House has denied a request for protection.”
Mr. Kennedy previously made comments to comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan that he had “to be careful” about assassination attempts from the U.S. government. Mr. Kennedy doubled down on the theory that his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated by the CIA during his appearance on the popular podcast,
Mr. Kennedy’s father, Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated 55 years ago during a campaign event in Los Angeles at the Ambassador Hotel.
The elder Kennedy’s assassination came two months after former President Lyndon B. Johnson opted not to run again, a decision that seemingly guaranteed Robert F. Kennedy’s ascension to the White House against Republican candidate Richard Nixon.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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