A Secret Service agent was robbed at gunpoint on Saturday night in California, while President Joe Biden was visiting Los Angeles for a fundraising event.
The incident happened a short drive away from where the president was attending the event.
According to the police, the agent was returning from work when someone confronted him in a residential area of Tustin around 9:30 p.m. The robber stole the agent’s bag at gunpoint. During the confrontation, the agent fired his gun, but it’s unclear if anyone was hit. The Secret Service said they don’t know if the robber was injured.
Tustin Police reported that they haven’t found the suspect yet, but they did recover some of the agent’s stolen belongings in the area. Witnesses saw a silver Infiniti FX35 leaving the scene.
On the same night, Biden and former President Barack Obama were attending a star-studded Democratic fundraising event in downtown Los Angeles in a wealthy area. The event, which featured celebrities like George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Barbra Streisand, raised more than $30 million for Biden’s reelection campaign. This is a record amount for a Democratic candidate.
The event took place at the Peacock Theater, which has 7,100 seats. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel interviewed both Biden and Obama, who emphasized the importance for Democrats to defeat former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election. They said this election could be one of the most important in U.S. history and expect it to be a very close race.
The incident with the Secret Service agent highlights the rampant crime that has swept through Democrat-run California — even the armed guards of the United States President aren’t safe.
The investigation into the robbery is ongoing, and authorities say they are working to identify and arrest the suspect.