Man arrested in March with Joker-themed rifle near Trump golf club in Calif facing felony charges

The man was arrested last month with an unusual firearm near the Golf Course.

Published: April 16, 2026 8:46am

A man with a rifle who was arrested near the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, last month is facing felony charges for the possession of an assault weapon and carrying a loaded firearm in public. 

The suspect, Sean Steiner, was charged earlier this month with the felonies, according to court records reported by the Los Angeles Times on Thursday.

Steiner was arrested on March 29 after a call notifying police that a man was running in traffic. Steiner was also seen hiking nearby trails while wearing a bulletproof vest and gloves and armed with weapons, the sheriff's Department said.

Upon his arrest, deputies seized a “joker-style” rifle painted in the colors of the fictional Batman villain. The rifle also bore phrases from the DC Comics character; "Why so serious?” and “Let’s put a smile on that face."

Steiner also had two loaded handguns, a high-capacity magazine, and a bulletproof vest, the Times reported. 

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