A man who mimicked shooting a security guard and protesters was arrested by police at the site of the “Operation Save America” protest near Genessee Hospital in Rochester, NY yesterday.
The man allegedly drove through lines of protesters, shaped his hand into an imaginary gun, aimed the “gun” at a hospital security guard, and then pretended to pull the “gun’s” trigger. At the time that police reached James M. Krentel, he was on his knees, “facing toward the protesters and simulating what appeared to be him holding a rifle,” according to Rochester Police Chief Robert Duffy, who credited his staff with averting “a potential tragedy.”
Police searched Krentel’s car and found two loaded rifles, knives, and ammunition in his back seat. Police later removed additional firearms from Krentel’s home with his permission.
Krentel will be arraigned in a city court today for three counts of harassment and one count of carrying a loaded firearm.
Local and NY state law enforcement believe that a temporary injunction which expanded buffer zones around protest sites and prohibited the use of loudspeakers is responsible for keeping the peace at this week’s protests.
