WEAPONS, ammo and fireworks seized in Santa Ana (SAPD photo).

A 32-year-old Santa Ana man was arrested this week on several charges, including assault with a deadly weapon against police officers during a protest rally over the May 25 death of George Floyd.

The suspect has been identified as John Paul Wardon and was booked for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of high capacity magazines and assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, according to Santa Ana police.

On May 31, officers saw a suspect throwing mortar devices at them and Orange County Sheriff’s deputies that had formed a skirmish line in the area of Ross Street and 4th Street.

Later, they spotted the same suspect in the area of Birch Street and 4th with a handgun on his hip. The pistol was later brandished, police say. Officers followed the man’s car  – which contained the suspect and his father – to a home in the 2600 block of West Stanford Street in Santa Ana.

A search warrant was served and police recovered four AR-15 style assault weapons, one short-barreled shotgun, three handguns, thousands of rounds of ammunition, several high capacity magazines, bulletproof and load-bearing tactical weapons and over 600 lbs. of illegal fireworks, which were turned over to the county’s bomb squad.

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