Armed Man Accused Of Impersonating US Marshal Arrested At RFK Jr. Event, Police Say

Police said an armed man was arrested after entering a campaign event in Los Angeles for Democratic presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. on Friday claiming to be a U.S. Marshal.

The man was taken into custody at the campaign event by the candidate’s private security detail and then detained until officers from the Los Angeles Police Department arrived, according to Politico, citing the Los Angeles Police Department. Kennedy has been unable to obtain Secret Service protection despite repeated requests to the Biden administration, with the presidential hopeful claiming that he is the first presidential candidate in history to be denied a request for Secret Service protection, according to a statement from Kennedy on Twitter Friday.

“I’m very grateful that alert and fast-acting protectors from Gavin de Becker and Associates (a private security business) spotted and detained an armed man who attempted to approach me at my Hispanic Heritage speech at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles tonight,” Kennedy posted on Twitter.

The man was reportedly in possession of two loaded pistols and spare ammunition magazines that he was wearing in shoulder holsters while trying to pass as a U.S. Marshal using a marshal badge on a lanyard and a belt clip with a federal ID, according to the Twitter post. The man allegedly identified himself as part of the candidate’s security detail before being detained.

“I’m also grateful to LAPD for its rapid response,” Kennedy said on Twitter. “I’m still entertaining a hope that President Biden will allow me Secret Service protection.”

Kennedy currently has 11.9% support in the Real Clear Politics poll average for the Democratic presidential primary compared to Biden’s 66.7%, according to polls conducted between Aug. 17 and Sep. 19.

The Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.