Man With 3 Guns Seized; Reportedly Threatened Shultz

An unemployed chemist armed with three guns and about 600 rounds of ammunition was arrested Tuesday after allegedly telling his mother that he was going to kill Secretary of State George P. Shultz, authorities said.

Edward Lewis Gallo, 41, of Worcester, Mass., was arrested at a hotel here and charged with making a threat against a public official. An AR-15 rifle, two shotguns and about 600 rounds of ammunition were found in his car.

Gallo was arrested at the Regency Congress Inn in northeast Washington, several miles from the State Department, after a brief struggle. An officer’s gun was fired but nobody was hit.

Shultz was informed of the threat but had no reaction, said State Department spokesman Charles Redman.

Speaking briefly to reporters as he was being led by police to be booked, Gallo said: “I’m a tourist on vacation. I’ve been down here on vacation two or three other times.”

Worcester police Sgt. Michael Vacca said he was told by members of the Gallo family that the suspect had recently lost his job as a chemist for the City of Worcester and was “pretty unstable.” He said Gallo’s mother and a sister had mentioned that Shultz might be a potential target.

U.S. Magistrate Jean Dwyer ordered Gallo held without bond and ordered him to undergo psychiatric evaluation.