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FBI Sees No Credible Threat In LA On Biden's Inauguration Day
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. (Robyn Beck/AFP)
The FBI says there’s no evidence of a credible threat to Los Angeles during Wednesday's inauguration of Joe Biden as president.
Flanked by armored vehicles, a sniffer dog and officers carrying semi-automatic rifles, Mayor Eric Garcetti said the LAPD is deployed in increased numbers and that California National Guard troops are stationed nearby and ready if needed.
"We have 200 troops on standby at Los Alamitos as we speak," said Paul Walters, assistant chief with the Governor's Office of Emergency Services.
They were joined at a news conference by LAPD Chief Michel Moore, Sheriff Alex Villanueva and Kristi Johnson, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s L.A. Field office.
Johnson said the agency activated a 24/7 command post a few days ago:
“That was designed to make sure that we were in a posture to make sure that we are identifying any threats.”
“Should acts of vandalism or violence take place, we will take immediate action," he said. "We will make arrests and prosecute those individuals vigorously.”
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Moore said his department has identified three off-duty employees who were in D.C. during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. At this point, he said, there’s no information they committed any crimes.
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