PHILADELPHIA — There's no evidence two men expected to face firearms charges for carrying guns without proper permits outside the Convention Center in Philadelphia are known members of an extremist group, District Attorney Larry Krasner said Friday.
Philadelphia police arrested the two men Thursday night after being notified people were on their way from Virginia to Philadelphia in silver Hummer with weapons and ammunition. The back of the Hummer had decals associated with the pro-Trump QAnon conspiracy movement, including a large "Q" and "#WWG1WGA," which stands for "where we go one we go all," the Philadelphia Inquirer previously reported.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the two men, both residents of Chesapeake, Virginia, each had a handgun, and officers found an AR-style rifle in the silver Hummer. That AR-style rifle, Krasner said, had no serial number and police found approximately 160 rounds of ammunition.
Krasner said he expects to charge these men with illegal possession of firearms, but that there may be more charges as the investigation continues, including possible criminal offenses under the election code. He stressed this is still an active investigation.
Officials said the names of the two men will not be released until charges are announced. Police also reported seeing a third individual, a woman who seemed to be traveling with the pair, but has not been arrested.
The preliminary arraignment for the men is expected either late tonight or early morning tomorrow, Krasner said.
"At this time we do not have indications that the story is bigger than these two individuals," Krasner said. He cautioned that this could be "a situation that may turn out to be nothing more than two people deciding to come to Philadelphia at a particular time for a somewhat unknown purpose."
There was "no significant presence" of hate groups, white supremacists or neo-Nazis Thursday and that the interactions he saw outside the Convention Center were "vocal," but "did not appear to be violent."
