A man threw a smoke bomb outside former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort Sunday because he had not received his stimulus check yet, Fox News reported.
Paul Brantly Rawls, the suspect accused of throwing the device, lives in West Palm Beach and is a military veteran, Fox News reported. Rawls faces multiple charges including one count of making, possessing, throwing or discharging any destructive device, one count of criminal mischief, and one count of disorderly conduct, CBS 12 reported.
Military veteran upset over stimulus check throws smoke bomb outside Mar-a-Lago https://t.co/q8GXDKavom pic.twitter.com/MGN7MgETW6
— New York Post (@nypost) March 17, 2021
The smoke bomb turned out to be an incendiary device named “5 Minute White Smoke” created by Pyro U, CBS 12 reported. (RELATED:Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Neighbors Initiate Legal Action To Keep Him From Living At His Resort)
The surveillance video of the incident showed a suspect throwing the smoke bomb from the window of a gray Volkswagen, Fox News reported.
The police were able to see the license plate in the video and trace the car back to Rawls, according to Fox News.
The arrest report shows that police initially contacted Rawls by cell phone during which Rawls responded “I know the real reason you want to talk to me,” according to the New York Post.
Once he was in custody, Rawls told detectives, “I know why I’m here, it’s because I threw a smoke bomb, it’s all on video,” the Post reported.
Four “5 Minute White Smoke” devices, nine smoke bombs, nylon rope, four flares, a 12-foot handheld expandable hook and a black glove were reportedly found in his car.