(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) A man who approached presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. while armed with two loaded pistols has been released on bond, sparking concerns over the safety of President Joe Biden’s leading Democratic opponent.
Adrian Paul Aispuro, 44, made headlines when he was apprehended by law enforcement officers on Sept. 15 while at a campaign rally in Los Angeles, California, KTLA Los Angeles reported last week.
Aispuro impersonated a U.S. Marshal and approached Kennedy Jr.’s security guards, claiming he needed to speak with the candidate. He was swiftly arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department and initially booked on a felony gun charge.
UPDATE:
The man accused of impersonating a U.S. Marshal while armed at a @RobertKennedyJr event in Los Angeles was ONLY slapped with 3 misdemeanors.
Adrian Paul Aispuro has been charged with carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, and impersonating an officer.… pic.twitter.com/DRsAwnqx89
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) September 21, 2023
However, according to journalist Lori Spencer, Aispuro’s bond, initially set at $35,000, was subsequently reduced to $10,000 and then $0. Spencer reported that the $0 bond allowed law enforcement to release him pending trial, which is set to begin on Oct. 3.
“The L.A. County attorney wasn’t going to file charges against Aispuro at all, but the City attorney did,” Spencer reported on Saturday. “With the felony reduced to misdemeanor, Adrian was eligible for release with zero cash bail because they call it a ‘nonviolent’ offense — even if he was armed to the teeth!”
Shortly after the altercation, Kennedy Jr. reacted to the disturbing incident by expressing gratitude for the quick response from security personnel and the LAPD. The presidential candidate also drew attention to his previous demands to receive Secret Service protection.
“I’m still entertaining a hope that President Biden will allow me Secret Service protection,” Kennedy Jr. said on Twitter on Sept. 16. “I am the first presidential candidate in history to whom the White House has denied a request for protection.”
I’m very grateful that alert and fast-acting protectors from Gavin de Becker and Associates (GDBA) spotted and detained an armed man who attempted to approach me at my Hispanic Heritage speech at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles tonight. The man, wearing two shoulder… pic.twitter.com/vvJc0Gtk4o
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) September 16, 2023
The release of Aispuro is likely to raise questions about Kennedy Jr.’s safety. Critics argue that such leniency can undermine the safety of candidates and create a precedent for future incidents.
Kennedy Jr.’s campaign manager, Dennis Kucinich, highlighted the historical significance of the thwarted assault in a Sept. 18 letter to Biden.
“Although it is a well-known historical fact, apparently, in your case, it bears repeating: Mr. Kennedy’s uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated. Mr. Kennedy’s father, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated while a presidential candidate.”
Kennedy Jr. himself has raised concerns about his lack of Secret Service protection. “Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection. But not me,” he said on July 28 via Twitter.
