Police: Man With Pellet Rifle Arrested Near Obama's Motorcade Route In Connecticut
BLOOMFIELD, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A homeless man who was shooting at cans with a pellet rifle not far from President Barack Obama's motorcade route in Connecticut has been arrested, police said.
Joseph Stravinskas was found in a wooded area on Monday, shooting at cans with a rifle, Bloomfield police said.
Police in Bloomfield clearing the roadway for the presidential motorcade discovered the man in the woods, WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau reported.
Police: Man With Pellet Rifle Arrested Near Obama's Motorcade Route In Connecticut
"He saw an individual who did have a rifle and he was aiming at some cans that he had propped up there in the woods, not in the direction of the motorcade," Bloomfield Police Captain Stephen Hajdasz told Schneidau. "Drew his weapon, other officers came, Bloomfield officers too. The individual took his aim down and turned towards officers, didn't drop the weapon."
Stravinskas initially refused to drop his rifle, but he eventually did and was arrested, police said.
The arrest came after the president arrived at the University of Hartford to argue for new gun control legislation.
Bloomfield police said the arrest is unrelated to Obama's visit and occurred before the president's motorcade left the university following his speech.
The 27-year-old Stravinskas is charged with breach of peace, threatening and interfering with police.
He was arraigned in Hartford on Tuesday and is in custody, unable to post $15,000 in bond.
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