Monday, December 23, 2024

US Secret Service agent robbed at gunpoint during Biden’s Los Angeles trip

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A US Secret Service agent was robbed at gunpoint during President Joe Biden’s visit to Los Angeles over the weekend.

Officials said the agent was returning from work on Saturday night when he was confronted in the city of Tustin – located around 35 miles southeast of downtown LA and part of the wider Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Police, who were called to the area shortly after 9.30pm, said the agent had his bag stolen and fired his gun during the confrontation.

The agent was not hurt during the incident, but the Secret Service said it did not know if anyone else was shot.

Image:
President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event with former president Barack Obama in Los Angeles. Pic: AP

Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the Secret Service – the force responsible for protecting political leaders in the US – said an investigation was underway.

“The employee discharged their service weapon during the incident but [it is] unknown if the assailants were struck,” he added, Sky News’ US partner network NBC News reported.

“We are thankful that the employee did not sustain any injuries.”

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Tustin Police said on Monday they had not found a suspect, but that some of the stolen belongings had been found in the area.

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A silver Infiniti FX35 or similar car was spotted leaving the scene, according to police, who released a CCTV image of the vehicle.

Mr Biden had been in LA to attend a fundraising event alongside former president Barack Obama, actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts, and comedian Jimmy Kimmel, which raked in $30m (£23.6m) for his election campaign.

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