More information on the “heavily armed man” who was heading to LA Pride has come to light, with a friend of the man saying he is bisexual. The man was found with guns and bomb-making chemicals and was arrested heading to LA Pride. The 20-year-old man James Wesley Howell, was arrested at around 5am on Sunday (Indiana time), just hours after the Orlando mass shooting which left 50 dead and 53 injured. A friend of Howell, 18-year-old Joseph Greeson told The Times that Howell is bisexual and didn’t harbour ill feelings towards gays or lesbians. His ex-boyfriend Zach Hambrick told the Indy Star “He didn’t like anybody to know about [his sexuality].” “After things went bad, that’s when he started getting violent with me,” said the 17-year-old. He said Howell’s arrest didn’t surprise him and that Howell kept a collection of guns, although he didn’t hunt. “It didn’t surprise me. It didn’t surprise me at all.” He was charged with unlawful possession of an assault weapon and a destructive device on a public street, and manufacturing or importing a large magazine and carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle. Howell told Police he was planning to attend the LA Pride Parade and Festival but according to Santa Monica Police Lt. Saul Rodriguez, he didn’t reference doing harm at the parade. He was found in his car about seven miles from the event. Local FBI agents executed a search warrant of Howell’s home on Monday night (Indiana time) according to FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller. The FBI and Police are continuing to investigate the case and determine Howell’s intentions. Howell was arrested in October after he allegedly pointed a firearm at a neighbour and was made to forfeit all weapons in April after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor intimidation charge which was connected to his arrest in October. He was sentenced to a year community service and was rated by a probation officer as a low-level offender just three weeks ago. There is no known connection between Howell and Orlando gunman Omar Mateen.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 15th June 2016 - 8:53am