Milwaukee man arrested blocks from RNC carried an AK-47 pistol, authorities say

MILWAUKEE — A 21-year-old man arrested blocks from the Republican National Convention earlier this week was carrying an AK-47 pistol, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Milwaukee Country District Attorney's office on Wednesday.

The man, identified as Donnell V. Tinsley of Milwaukee, was wearing black pants, gloves, a tan sweatshirt, and a ski mask and carrying "a large black tactical backpack," according to Milwaukee police. He is charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor.

Tinsley was walking south, away from an RNC security checkpoint, when a Homeland Security Investigations special agent and a U.S. Capitol Police officer patrolling the area noticed him. The officers stopped him at about 10:45 a.m., according to police.

Special Agent Curt Hansen "immediately observed Tinsley's hands shaking" upon speaking with him, according to the complaint.

Hansen asked Tinsley if he was carrying a firearm, the complaint said. "Tinsley stated 'No' and said, 'You can check me, go ahead and look.' SA Hansen asked Tinsley if he would consent to a pat down, and Tinsley stated, 'Yes.'"

Upon searching Tinsley's backpack, officers found the pistol and a fully loaded magazine containing 7.62X39 caliber rifle ammunition. The pistol fires rifle rounds.

Items authorities found

They also found a "Scream" movie mask, flashlight, two sets of black gloves with rubber fingertips, sunglasses, an Allied Universal Security uniform shirt, two cans of spray paint, and multiple empty marijuana bags, according to the complaint. Tinsley did not have a concealed carry permit for his weapon, police said.

The arrest came days after an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump at a political rally in Pennsylvania. The FBI later identified Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the person behind the attack, which killed one rally attendee and "critically injured" two others. Law enforcement later recovered an AR-style rifle from the scene.

Though Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers reportedly sought to ban guns within the "soft security perimeter" of the RNC in Milwaukee following the attempted assassination, state law prevented the city or Secret Service from implementing such a rule. Guns are not allowed within the RNC's "hard perimeter," which includes Fiserv Forum, Baird Center, and the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

Following Monday's arrest, the state would request a "no weapons/no contact order" for Tinsley within the RNC's soft and hard perimeters for the remainder of the convention, Milwaukee police said. The convention ends on Thursday.

Contributing: Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY