On Tuesday, a man from Southern California was arrested after being spotted with a guillotine in his truck near the U.S. Capitol. The United States Capitol Police confirmed the arrest.
Shortly after 3 p.m. ET, officers noticed a pickup truck parked illegally on the 100 block of East Capitol Street, close to the Capitol grounds and the U.S. Supreme Court. With Congress and the Supreme Court on summer recess, the truck’s presence raised concerns.
Authorities identified the man as Philan-Tam-Duy Le, aged 35, who completed a cross-country drive from Julian, a small town in San Diego County, to Washington, D.C., covering over 2,500 miles. The motive behind his journey remains unclear.
“USCP investigators are going through the suspect’s background to learn more about why he came to Washington, D.C.,” stated the police in a press release.
Le faces charges for carrying a dangerous weapon. Photos released by the police displayed a fully assembled guillotine standing upright in the truck bed, its frame towering above the vehicle into the surrounding tree line.
Newsweek has reached out to Capitol Police for further details, including whether Le transported the guillotine from California in his truck.
This incident is part of several weapons-related cases near the Capitol this year. Recent arrests highlight the ongoing security concerns.
Last month, a man named Wendell J. Royster, 67, of Columbia, Mississippi, was arrested after driving to a Capitol barricade with a firearm in his lap, seeking directions to the Supreme Court.
Earlier in February, an 18-year-old man from Georgia was charged after running toward the Capitol while carrying a loaded shotgun and wearing tactical gear. Officers intercepted him and seized the weapon and additional ammunition.
The Georgia suspect claimed he intended to speak with a Congress member, despite the absence of sessions at the time. His arrest occurred a week before President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
For additional information on this story, contact Newsweek editors Anna Commander and Edward T. Cummins.