Man with BB Gun Arrested Near Obama's Motorcade Route: Cops

A homeless man was taken into custody Monday afternoon when he was found with a BB gun near the route President Barack Obama's motorcade was taking, according to police in Connecticut.

Police said Tuesday that Joseph Stravinskas, 27, was shooting at cans behind a house about half an hour before the presidential motorcade came by.

Obama was in Connecticut to deliver an  address at the University of Hartford that called on Congress to bring new gun control propoals to a vote. 

Police had originally said that a man had been standing at an intersection where President Obama's motorcade passed by and was arrested after pulling out the BB gun.

But on Tuesday, police clarified details of the incident, saying that Stravinskas had no connection to the motorcade.

Police from several departments were securing the motorcade route when a Simsbury detective heard a noise at 5:50 p.m. from the back of a home a few miles away from the university, and went to see if someone was hiding in the woods, police said.

The detective found Stravinskas with what appeared to be a rifle, aiming at cans propped as targets and ordered him to drop the weapon, police said.

When Stravinskas turned, he dropped his aim, and ultimately complied with police orders and was taken into custody.

Police seized the gun and determined it was a pellet rifle, police said.

Stravinskas told police he was homeless and his actions had nothing to do with the presidential motorcade.

Secret Service also spoke with Stravinskas and officials determined that his actions had nothing to do with the motorcade, which came by at 6:20 p.m. without incident.

Stravinskas was charged with breach of peace in the second degree, threatening in the second degree and interfering with an officer.

He was held on a $15,000 bond and is due in court on Tuesday. 

President Obama was in Connecticut Monday afternoon to meet with families who lost loved ones during the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December.

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