Ex-Boyfriend of L.A. Pride Parade Weapons Suspect Speaks Out

Just one day after the shocking massacre in Orlando, James Wesley Howell, 20, was arrested after Santa Monica police say he was found with assault rifles and explosive chemicals while on his way to a gay pride parade in Los Angeles. According to reports, Howell traveled from Southern Indiana to Santa Monica, but it's unclear what his motive was in the situation.

A man claiming to be Howell's ex-boyfriend says he wasn't surprised about Howell's recent arrest. Zach Hambrick said that Howell didn't like anyone to know that he was gay, adding, "After things went bad, that's when he started getting violent with me. It didn't surprise me. It didn't surprise me at all." Hambrick also spoke about the handguns and rifle that his ex kept displayed in his room, "I don't know why he had so many. He didn't hunt. He just had them."

This wasn't Howell's first run-in with the law. Last October, he was arrested after police say he pointed a loaded gun at his neighbor, which resulted in one year of probation after he pled guilty to a misdemeanor intimidation charge. Three days after taking the plea deal, Howell was indicted on charges of speeding, fleeing police and reckless driving after police claim he sped off before they could arrest him for going 103 mph in a 55 mph zone.

Source: Indy Star