Man who broke into White House had car full of weapons and ammo

(Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

The man who scaled a fence and burst into the White House on Friday had a car full of weapons and ammunition at the time of his arrest, authorities revealed Monday.

Prosecutors said 42-year-old Omar Jose Gonzalez had 800 rounds of ammunition, two hatchets, and a machete in his car on Friday. He was also arrested in July after a high-speed chase in Virginia in which police discovered his car was loaded with guns and other unsettling items.

Among the items found in Mr. Gonzales' vehicle in July was a mini-arsenal of 11 guns including two shotguns and four rifles, some equipped with scopes and bipods that a sniper would use and "a map of Washington, D.C., with writing and a line drawn to the White House," law enforcement officials said. He also had four pistols, three of them loaded, and a revolver. The inventory of Mr. Gonzales' vehicle listed by the Virginia State Police indicates the items were found stored in his vehicle's "bulky floor." [The New York Times]

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Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.

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