Man Arrested Near Republican National Convention with AK-47, Another Shot by Police

Law enforcement officials arrested a man armed with an AK-47 on Monday near the Republican National Convention’s Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Fox News reported that a federal law enforcement source confirmed the arrest after the man approached the RNC perimeter while Capitol Police and Homeland Security Investigators were conducting surveillance operations. The suspect, carrying a tactical bag and wearing a ski mask, was detained by Milwaukee Police.

“Milwaukee Police arrested a 21-year-old man for carrying a concealed weapon on July 15, 2024, at approximately 1:00 p.m., on the 1200 block of N. 11th Street,” the Milwaukee Police Department stated in a release obtained by Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin. “United States Capitol Police initially observed the suspect looking suspicious, wearing a ski mask and a large tactical backpack in the street.”

Police discovered the AK-47 inside the man’s tactical bag, along with a full magazine of ammunition. The suspect did not have a legal CCW permit in Wisconsin or any other state, and charges are pending review by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. Authorities have not yet disclosed the man’s intentions.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, law enforcement officers fatally shot an individual near the Republican National Convention. The Columbus Division of Police released a statement confirming the fatal shooting, noting that their officers were assisting the Milwaukee Police Department with security during the convention. The incident occurred within the “outer perimeter” of the RNC and inside the unit’s “operational zone,” but it did not appear related to the convention. An investigative team is actively investigating the situation.

Both incidents occurred just days after former President Donald Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.