Police arrested a man in military uniform who was carrying an assault rifle in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday morning, officials said.
Gregory Wong, a 31-year-old Gardena man, was also armed with a pistol when he was spotted by National Guard troops posted at the corner of First and Main streets around 1:30 a.m., according to the L.A. Police Department.
By that time, authorities had cleared most protesters from the area, arresting people who stayed on the streets past the countywide 6 p.m. curfew.
One of the guardsmen notified officers that Wong had arrived in a civilian sedan, and he wasn’t a member of their unit, despite his military uniform.
Wong allegedly told police he was there to provide security for a friend’s establishment.
He was arrested on suspicion of transporting an assault weapon, officials said. Police don’t believe he intended to harm anyone.
Inmate records showed Wong remained in custody Tuesday afternoon on $50,000 bail.
LAPD is continuing to investigate the incident, and no further details were available.
The National Guard was first deployed to the city Saturday, and more than 2,000 troops were stationed in the city by Tuesday morning, according to LAPD Chief Michel Moore.