On Sunday night, an armed individual was arrested at an event attended by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in Los Angeles.
The armed man was apprehended by the Los Angeles Police Department, which had been alerted to his presence in the gathering at around 8 p.m. He was taken into custody without incident and was later identified as 43-year-old Zakkary Reyna. Reyna was arrested and charged with suspicion of bringing a concealed weapon and ammunition into a school zone, among other things.
The incident occurred at the Montalban Theater in Hollywood where RFK Jr. and a number of celebrities, activists, and other dignitaries had gathered for the launch of The Last Children of Down Syndrome, a documentary about two young people living with the genetic disorder. The event was organized by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation.
RFK Jr. did not comment on the issue directly, but he did post a statement on his official Facebook page. In it, he thanked the Los Angeles Police Department for their swift response to the incident and for taking the “necessary steps to ensure the safety of all of us present”.
The statement also expressed RFK Jr.’s gratitude towards the Montalban Theater for its hospitality and his admiration for those who had come to support the documentary. He closed his statement with a reminder that gun violence absolutely must be addressed by all levels of government.
The event ended with a standing ovation for Reyna’s swift apprehension and in a video taken at the end of the event, RFK Jr. can be seen clapping in the background.
This incident serves to remind us all of the nature of gun violence in the United States. While incidents like this are thankfully rare, we must continue to work towards reducing gun violence in the country and help keep individuals and their families safe.
