Man arrested before L.A. Pride with guns wasn't allowed to have them


The 20-year-old arrested in Santa Monica, California, early Sunday with three assault rifles, ammunition, and materials used to make explosives in his car was ordered in April to give up his guns.
Police say that James Wesley Howell of Charlestown, Indiana, said he wanted to go to L.A. Pride, and they are not sure what he planned to do there. In Indiana, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor intimidation charge, and in addition to being told to give up his guns, he was on probation and not authorized to leave the state, The Associated Press reports. Clark County's chief probation officer said Howell met with a probation officer three weeks ago, and was rated a low-level offender.
Last October, Howell was accused of pulling a gun and making threats against his then-boyfriend and neighbor in two separate events; he pleaded guilty in the intimidation charge involving the neighbor. Howell's former roommate told AP he owned five guns and liked to spend time at a shooting range, once telling her during a visit he wished he could "kill a lot of people."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
May 26 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Monday's political cartoons feature Donald Trump's red tie, Hunter Biden's crypto lament, and one meaning of Memorial Day
-
3 tips for coping with financial stress
The explainer Feel more at peace in an unpredictable economy
-
Sudoku medium: May 26, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
2 Israel Embassy staff shot dead at DC Jewish museum
speed read The suspected gunman chanted 'free, free Palestine'
-
Bombing of fertility clinic blamed on 'antinatalist'
speed read A car bombing injured four people and damaged a fertility clinic and nearby buildings in Palm Springs, California
-
Suspect charged after 11 die in Vancouver car attack
Speed Read Kai-Ji Adam Lo drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival
-
Kenya arrests alleged ant smugglers
speed read Two young Belgians have been charged for attempting to smuggle ants out of the country to exotic pet buyers
-
Judge ends Eric Adams case, Trump leverage
Speed Read Federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams were dismissed, as requested by Trump's Justice Department
-
Texas arrests midwife on felony abortion charges
Speed Read Maria Margarita Rojas and an employee at one of her clinics are the first to be criminally charged under Texas' near-total abortion ban
-
South Carolina to execute prisoner by firing squad
speed read Death row inmate Brad Sigmon prefers the squad over the electric chair or lethal injection, his lawyer said
-
Mexico extradites 29 cartel figures amid US tariff threat
Speed Read The extradited suspects include Rafael Caro Quintero, long sought after killing a US narcotics agent