Pipe bomb found in home of man arrested at West Chester, Pennsylvania, "No Kings" protest, police say
A man arrested near a "No Kings" protest in West Chester, Pennsylvania, on Saturday was allegedly carrying a concealed handgun, a bayonet knife, a pocket knife, pepper spray, a ski mask, gloves and several ammunition magazines, according to court documents.
Kevin Krebs, 31, of Malvern, was charged with carrying a firearm without a license. The Montgomery County Bomb Squad and FBI agents raided his home on Conestoga Road in Malvern on Monday and found a pipe bomb, police said. It was active, but the pipe bomb was disabled in the backyard of his home, according to police. Crews are continuing to sweep Krebs' home in Malvern.
According to the affidavit, a West Chester Borough police officer was patrolling the 100 block of North High Street when they were told a man was hiding a handgun under a long yellow raincoat. The officer spotted Krebs walking on the sidewalk toward the "No Kings" rally, which was happening several blocks away.
The officer approached Krebs and asked if he had any weapons on him, to which he hesitated to answer. The officer noticed an empty holster on Krebs' hip and asked about a gun. Krebs admitted he had a handgun in his waistband, underneath another layer of clothing, the court documents said.
Krebs allegedly had a fully loaded Sig Sauer P320 handgun hidden in his clothing, along with three loaded Sig Sauer handgun magazines, six loaded assault rifle magazines, an M9 bayonet knife, pepper spray, a pocket knife, a ski mask and gloves.
Chester County Sheriff's Office records showed Krebs did not have a concealed carry permit. He also failed to give a concealed carry permit when asked by the officer, according to the affidavit.
There's no word on what Krebs' intent or motive was.
Krebs was arrested and later released on $250,000 bail.
Police said no injuries were reported.
Despite living in the neighborhood for 36 years, Rich Talvacchia said he didn't know Krebs.
"I was very astounded by how much ammunition he had, and then to find out he was right behind our home was very concerning," Talvacchia said.
Meanwhile, people in West Chester said they weren't shaken up by the incident.
"You do have your kind of antenna up, but then you also fall back on these are your neighbors, these are your friends, and if you see something, say something," said John Manion, who attended the rally.
The "No Kings" rally in West Chester was one of several in the Philadelphia area held Saturday to protest President Trump's deportation policies and other actions by the administration.
The protests coincided with a large military parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.
