HOUSTON (CBSNews) — Police in Houston say they arrested a man found with guns and ammunition in his hotel room early Sunday (Dec. 31), as authorities across the country remain on high alert ahead of planned New Year’s Eve celebrations.
CBS affiliate KHOU-TV reports that police responded to the Hyatt Regency Houston around 1:30 a.m. local time Sunday. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo tweeted Sunday morning that the situation was “contained” and there were “no specific threats to [Houston].”
Houston Police Department spokesman Victor Cintillas told CBS News that an officer was working another job at the hotel when alerted by management that a guest was harassing other guests. The guest in question appeared to be intoxicated and was asked repeatedly to return to his room. He refused and continued to be belligerent, Cintillas said.
The man was ordered to leave the hotel and was escorted up to his room by police officers to retrieve his belongings, Cintillas said. When officers arrived at his room, they found “several” firearms and rounds of ammunition in the room. Cintillas said there were “several” firearms but “not a huge amount.”
The man was taken into custody. Police would not comment on the exact type of firearms nor on why the suspect had the weapons and ammunition in his room. Cintillas said the officers’ intervention “averted a potentially bad situation.”
KHOU reports that police are searching the suspect’s vehicle for possible additional weapons.
