A man wearing ballistic gear and carrying a rifle has admitted to opening fire near one of President Donald Trump’s golf courses, officials say.
Sean Steiner, 36, is accused of illegally carrying a rifle in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, in close proximity to the Trump National Golf Course Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the semi-automatic weapon bore phrases associated with the the Joker, a villain in Batman.
Deputies say a tip was called in after Steiner was spotted “hiking through nearby trails in the area wearing rifle-rated body armor, gloves, carrying a rifle, a duffle bag, and even a step stool.”
“Not only was the rifle loaded with a round in the chamber and a full magazine inserted... he admitted he had just fired one of the pistols near the landslide area to ‘get some anger out,’” says a statement from the Sheriff’s Department.
Steiner’s rifle was painted purple and green with an orange tip, which made it resemble a toy gun, which deputies insist it was not. The Joker-style phrases read, “Why so serious?” and “Let’s put a smile on that face.”
Deputies say the native of Glendale, Arizona, was also in possession of two loaded handguns, high-capacity magazines, extra ammo, and a ballistic vest capable of stopping rifle rounds. He was spotted walking through traffic on Palos Verdes Drive South, the main roadway to Trump National, which sits on the Pacific Coast in Los Angeles County.
Steiner was arrested this month and charged with possession of an assault weapon, possession of a short-barreled rifle or shotgun, possession of a large-capacity magazine, and carrying a loaded firearm in public.
Officials have not said whether Trump’s course, which has been the site of multiple “No Kings” protests since March, was a target. Trump, 79, has not visited California this year.
It is not the first time a gunman has been arrested near one of Trump’s courses. Ryan Wesley Routh’s plot to assassinate Trump as he played a round at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida was foiled by the Secret Service in September 2024.
Routh was arrested and subsequently found guilty of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and assault of a federal law enforcement officer. The 58-year-old was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in federal prison.
