A man from Southern California was apprehended near the U.S. Capitol for possessing a guillotine in his truck bed. The arrest was confirmed by the United States Capitol Police (USCP).
On Tuesday, around 3 p.m. ET, officers spotted a pickup truck positioned illegally along East Capitol Street, near the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court. Both Congress and the Supreme Court are currently on summer recess.
Investigators identified the man as Philan-Tam-Duy Le, 35 years old, who traveled from Julian, a small town in San Diego County, California. He journeyed over 2,500 miles to Washington, D.C. The purpose of his visit to the capital remains unknown.
“USCP investigators are delving into the suspect’s background to ascertain the reason for his visit to Washington, D.C.,” stated a police press release.
Le faces charges for carrying a dangerous weapon. Photographs provided by the police depict the guillotine fully assembled and vertically positioned within the truck bed, extending several feet above the vehicle, into the surrounding tree line.
Capitol Police have been contacted by Newsweek for further details, including confirmation on whether Le drove with the guillotine from California.
This incident is one of several weapons-related events near the Capitol this year. Last month, Newsweek reported that officers apprehended Wendell J. Royster, 67, from Columbia, Mississippi, for driving to a barricade outside the Capitol with a firearm visible in his lap and requesting directions to the Supreme Court.
In February, federal prosecutors charged an 18-year-old from Georgia, who attempted to reach the Capitol carrying a loaded shotgun and wearing tactical gear. He was stopped by officers and found with eight rounds in the shotgun and additional ammunition, as stated by the Justice Department.
The young man claimed he wanted to speak with a Congress member, despite Congress not being in session. His arrest occurred a week before President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address.
For more information, contact Newsweek editors Anna Commander and Edward T. Cummins.