Two Virginia men face charges for illegally possessing firearms after they traveled to Philadelphia and were found near the convention center where mail-in votes are being counted.
Philadelphia Police says Joshua Macias, 42, and Antonio Lamotta, 61, are from Chesapeake, Va. While reports indicate the men intended to stop the vote counting, investigators would not confirm that.
Philadelphia officials have openly worried about the possibility armed people might show up in the city to disrupt the election, after President Trump repeatedly questioned the integrity of the city’s election system and vote counting.
District Attorney Larry Krasner said, “At this time we do not have indications that the story is bigger than these two individuals.” Krasner also said he doesn’t have information to indicate the men are known members of any extremist groups.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw says the FBI in Norfolk, Virginia received a tip on Thursday that the men were headed to Philadelphia in a silver Hummer and were in possession of firearms and ammunition. Police spotted the Hummer just after 10 p.m. Thursday night near the convention center. Outlaw says officers were given permission to search the truck and found an assault-style rifle inside and 160 rounds of ammunition.
The Hummer has an American flag mounted on the bumper and stickers referring to the conspiracy group QAnon.
Outlaw says shortly after the truck was found, officers arrested the men nearby. She says Lamotta was carrying an unlicensed Beretta 9mm pistol in a holster and Macias admitted he had a Beretta 40 caliber pistol hidden under his jacket. Police say Macias had a concealed carry permit in Virginia. Pennsylvania doesn’t recognize Virginia permits, so both men were arrested for violating weapons laws.
