HOUSTON - Police on Sunday arrested a man they say was found with several guns and ammunition in his Hyatt Regency hotel room downtown.
Around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, employees at the Hyatt Regency downtown alerted an off-duty Houston police officer working security at the hotel to a man they described as "belligerent." Employees said he was harassing other guests in the lobby.
Management and the officer asked the man to return to his room on the 28th floor. Officials say the man returned to his room, but headed to the lobby again and continued harassing guests. Hotel management asked the man to leave the hotel.
Authorities say the man refused to leave but was gathering his belongings. That's when the officer noticed ammunition and several weapons. It's unclear at this time if the weapons were discovered while the man was packing or if they were in plain sight.
After several failed attempts to get the man to leave the hotel, the off-duty officer called for backup, which prompted the suspect's pending charge of trespassing.
Police early Sunday morning were checking the suspect's vehicle for the possibility of more weapons. It is unknown at this time whether more weapons or ammunition were found. Officials do not know at this time if anyone was staying in the hotel room with the suspect.
The suspect faces charges of trespassing and unlawfully carrying a weapon. His identity has not yet been released.
HPD Chief Art Acevedo tweeted Sunday the situation at the hotel "has been contained."
The Hyatt Regency's annual New Year's Eve celebration will go on Sunday night with heightened security, according to a hotel spokesperson.
A hotel spokesperson released the following statement on behalf of Tom Netting, managing director of the hotel:
“The safety and security of our guests and colleagues is our top priority and is consistent with the hotel's security plan. The Hyatt Regency is cooperating with authorities on the investigation.”
