Page 3 - ARUBA TODAY

A3
U.S. NEWS Thursday 1 June 2017
Authorities: Tip led police to armed man at DC Trump hotel

By MATTHEW BARAKAT ment on what may have
MICHAEL RUBINKAM motivated Moles. He said
Associated Press he did not have a license
WASHINGTON (AP) — A to carry firearms in the Dis-
Pennsylvania physician trict, which has strict gun
who sent a text message laws. He did not know
about traveling to visit whether he was licensed
the president with a car- to carry in Pennsylvania.
load of weapons was ar- The police chief said when
rested Wednesday at the people come to the District
Trump International Hotel “armed with those types of
in Washington after police weapons, it’s a serious con-
found an assault-style rifle cern. ... He doesn’t have a
and handgun in his car, really good reason for be-
authorities said. ing here.”
Bryan Moles of Edinboro, Dorian Adamik, the po-
Pennsylvania, was taken lice chief in Cambridge
into custody at the down- Springs, Pennsylvania, said
town hotel, where he was the department got a
staying as a guest, police call from a resident about
said. At a news confer- Moles on Tuesday night.
ence, Metropolitan Police Adamik said the resident’s
Department Chief Peter daughter had received a
Newsham said his depart- In the photo is the Trump International Hotel in Washington. A Pennsylvania man has been arrest- text message from Moles
ment, as well as the Se- ed at the Trump International Hotel in Washington after police say they found a rifle and handgun that said “something to the
cret Service, received a in his car. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) effect of he was traveling
tip from the Pennsylvania to D.C. with a carload of
State Police at about 12:30 Newsham said, “and I be- vice had determined Moles vehicle. weapons and he was go-
a.m. The tipster reported lieve the officers and our “posed no threat” to any He is being charged with ing to visit the president.”
that Moles might be trav- federal partners, and in of the people the Secret carrying a pistol without a Moles’ Facebook page is
eling to the Trump Hotel in particular the tipster, avert- Service protects, which in- license and having unreg- sprinkled with comments
Washington, armed with ed a potential disaster here cludes presidents and vice istered ammunition. New- and photos indicating sup-
weapons and ammunition. in our nation’s capital.” presidents and their fami- sham added that the de- port for Trump. On Friday,
Moles, 43, checked into The Secret Service said its lies, former presidents and partment does not present- he posted a question: “If
the hotel about 1 a.m. Au- agents and local police visiting foreign dignitaries. ly have enough evidence you had to choose be-
thorities worked with hotel began investigating a po- A police report said author- to charge Moles with mak- tween a Hilton Hotel and a
security to locate him and tential threat. But Deputy ities seized a Glock 23 pis- ing threats. He is expected Trump hotel, which would
his car. Special Agent Michael Ball tol, a Bushmaster assault- to make an initial court ap- you choose and why?”
“I was very concerned said at Wednesday’s press style rifle and 90 rounds of pearance Thursday. Someone replied, “Trump
about this circumstance,” conference the Secret Ser- ammunition from Moles’ Newsham declined com- all the way.q
Man with fake gun at airport wanted to speak to president

By MIKE SCHNEIDER mental health evaluation, members and police ne-
Associated Press but another bond hearing gotiators arrived.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A was scheduled for Thurs- “Our negotiators did a
mentally distressed ex-Ma- day. phenomenal job of talking
rine who pointed a fake The episode started Tues- with the subject for about
handgun at police in the day night when Pettigrew two hours and finally got
Orlando International Air- approached a cashier at him to peacefully surren-
port and shouted “kill me” a taxi company in the air- der,” Orlando Police Chief
said he wanted to speak to port and showed her what John Mina said Tuesday
the president, according to looked like a gun. Petti- night.
an arrest affidavit released grew gave his cellphone Minutes before appear-
Wednesday. to her and told her to call ing at the airport, Petti-
Michael Wayne Pettigrew, 911 because he wanted to grew texted a friend that
26, was arrested after the bring the police and speak he wanted to be killed by
almost three-hour stand- to the president, according police officers, according
off that ended peacefully to the affidavit. to a recorded 911 call re-
Tuesday night. Police have Pettigrew pointed the fake leased Wednesday.
called it an attempted “sui- gun at officers as they ar- This photo provided by the Orange County Jail shows Michael Calling from Pennsylvania,
cide by cop.” rived at the airport’s rental Wayne Pettigrew. Pettigrew, a mentally distressed former Ma- Pettigrew’s friend told a
Pettigrew was charged car section, and also point- rine who pointed a fake handgun at police in the Orlando Inter- police dispatcher that the
with aggravated assault ed the gun at himself. But national Airport, was arrested after the almost three-hour stand- former Marine had texted
on a firefighter and was no shots were fired and off that ended peacefully, with no shots fired Tuesday, May 30, him that he was headed to
forcibly committed for no one was hurt. One of- 2017. Police have called it an attempted “suicide by cop.” the airport.
short-term mental health ficer raised the muzzle of (Orange County Jail via AP) When the dispatcher asks
observation under what is his rifle to get a clear view if Pettigrew has any men-
commonly referred to as of Pettigrew but didn’t fire were running in all direc- traffic going into the airport tal health problems, the
Florida’s “Baker Act.” because passengers “were tions, making it a little cha- was halted for a short time. unidentified friend says he
Court records show Pet- running everywhere,” the otic,” the report said. The responding officers doesn’t know, but “I know
tigrew was denied bail affidavit said. Part of the airport was tem- tried to talk to Pettigrew for he has had some other is-
Wednesday because of his “Passengers at this point porarily evacuated and a half hour until SWAT team sues.” q