An Armed Man Poses as Federal Marshal at Event Attended by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
An armed man accused of impersonating a federal marshal at an event attended by Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been charged with misdemeanors, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office.
Adrian Paul Aispuro, 44, was initially booked on a felony gun charge on Sept. 15 and is being held on $35,000 bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Inmate Information Center.
The city attorney’s office has charged him with carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, and impersonating an officer, all misdemeanors.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office told The Epoch Times that “none of [Mr. Aispuro’s] conduct violated felony statutes,” which is why after review, the case was referred to the city attorney’s office.
During the arrest, Mr. Kennedy was scheduled to speak at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. The incident occurred between 4:30 p.m. and 4:40 p.m.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) received a call reporting a man in front of the event venue claiming to be a U.S. Marshal. Mr. Aispuro was apprehended by LAPD officers from the Wilshire Division station, with the FBI also present.
A man is taken into police custody outside an event attended by Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles on Sept. 15, 2023. (Courtesy of Stefanie Spear)
According to the police, Mr. Aispuro falsely claimed to be employed for the event but was not recognized by Mr. Kennedy’s security team. Photos show him being held in handcuffs by police officers, with the letters “EMS” on the back of his shirt.
In 1968, Mr. Kennedy’s father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated during his presidential campaign at a hotel on Wilshire Boulevard, near the location of the Sept. 15 event.
Expressing gratitude on social media, Mr. Kennedy thanked the police and his security team for their swift response in handling the situation and ensuring his safety.
“I’m very grateful that alert and fast-acting protectors from [security company] Gavin de Becker and Associates (GDBA) spotted and detained an armed man,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The man, wearing two shoulder holsters with loaded pistols and spare ammunition magazines was carrying a U.S. Marshal badge on a lanyard and beltclip federal ID. He identified himself as a member of my security detail.
“Armed GDBA team members moved quickly to isolate and detain the man until LAPD arrived to make the arrest. I’m also grateful to LAPD for its rapid response.”
Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at an event in Los Angeles on Sept. 15, 2023. (NTD)
Requests for Protection
In July, Mr. Kennedy expressed his disappointment after his request for Secret Service protection as a presidential candidate was denied by the Department of Homeland Security.
“Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection,” Mr. Kennedy wrote on X. ”But not me.”
According to U.S. law under “18 USC 3056A,” the U.S. Secret Service is responsible for protecting “major presidential and vice presidential candidates and, within 120 days of the general Presidential election, the spouses of such candidates.”
The secretary of the Department for Homeland Security (DHS), currently Alejandro Mayorkas, is tasked with identifying “major” candidates in a presidential race in consultation with congressional leaders. The decision is not answerable to the incumbent president.
DHS has yet to comment on its decision regarding Mr. Kennedy’s request.
In early August, Mr. Kennedy called on the Biden administration to provide him with Secret Service protection after the assassination of Ecuador’s presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who had vowed to fight corruption in the country.
Following the assassination of Mr. Kennedy’s father, the U.S. Secret Service expanded its protection coverage to presidential and vice presidential candidates.
After the Sept. 15 incident, Mr. Kennedy wrote on X, “I’m still entertaining a hope that President Biden will allow me Secret Service protection.”
What charges has Adrian Paul Aispuro been charged with by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office?
An incident occurred recently at an event attended by Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., where an armed man allegedly posed as a federal marshal. The suspect has been charged with misdemeanors, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office.
The accused, Adrian Paul Aispuro, 44, was initially booked on a felony gun charge on September 15 and is currently held on $35,000 bail. The charges filed against him by the city attorney’s office include carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, and impersonating an officer.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office spokesperson stated that none of Mr. Aispuro’s conduct violated felony statutes. As a result, the case was referred to the city attorney’s office for review and charges.
The incident took place at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, where Mr. Kennedy was scheduled to speak to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) received a call reporting a man claiming to be a U.S. Marshal in front of the event venue. Mr. Aispuro was apprehended by LAPD officers from the Wilshire Division station, with the FBI present as well.
According to the police, Mr. Aispuro falsely claimed to be employed for the event but was not recognized by Mr. Kennedy’s security team. Photos depict him being held in handcuffs by police officers, with the letters “EMS” on the back of his shirt.
The incident bears particular significance as it happened near the location where Mr. Kennedy’s father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968 during his presidential campaign.
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