Armed man in ski mask arrested near Republican convention: Reports

An armed man in a ski mask was arrested on Monday just blocks from the Republican convention in Milwaukee, law enforcement officials revealed on Tuesday, just days after an assassination attempt was made against former President Donald Trump.

Prominent Republican politicians and officials are gathered at the Fiserv Forum for the Republican convention this week, where Trump and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio were confirmed as the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates. 

The 21-year-old man was carrying a concealed AK-47 pistol in his tactical backpack, without a license to carry in Wisconsin, according to Fox News. He was subsequently arrested and charges are currently pending. It is not clear what the man's intentions were, but the backpack also included a full magazine of ammunition.

“United States Capitol Police initially observed the suspect looking suspicious, wearing a ski mask and a large tactical backpack in the street,” the Milwaukee Police Department said Tuesday evening, per CNN.

The arrest comes just two days after a gunman opened fire on Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. The former president was wounded in his right ear during the shooting, which also resulted in the death of one attendee and the suspected shooter. Two other civilians in the audience were critically wounded.  

The arrest also occurred on the same day Trump was confirmed as the official nominee. Trump is expected to give a unifying speech at the convention on Thursday.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.