An 18-year-old man armed with a shotgun exited his car just a block away from the U.S. Capitol and began running towards the building before he was arrested Tuesday afternoon, law enforcement said.
The big picture: The incident comes as threats against members of Congress have skyrocketed, with the U.S. Capitol Police opening nearly 15,000 threat assessment cases last year.
- That's up from 9,474 in 2024, a nearly 60% increase.
What they're saying: The suspect was "challenged by United States Capitol Police officers and ordered to drop the weapon, which he did comply with," Capitol Police chief Michael Sullivan said at a press conference.
- "He laid down the weapon and then laid down on the ground and was taken into custody," Sullivan said.
- The shotgun "was loaded," the suspect was wearing a "tactical vest" and "tactical gloves," and he "had additional rounds on his person," according to Sullivan.
- He also allegedly had a kevlar helmet and a gas mask that he left in his car. Capitol Police are declining to identify the suspect as of Tuesday.
Zoom in: The only identifying details Sullivan provided to reporters were that the suspect was "an 18-year-old who does not live in the area."
- He was not previously known to law enforcement, Sullivan said.
- His vehicle, a white Mercedes SUV, was not registered to him, the Capitol Police chief added.
Catch up quick: The Capitol Police said in an email to congressional offices shortly after noon on Tuesday that they had "just arrested a person with what appears to be a gun near the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Building."
- Law enforcement closed down several streets near where the incident took place as they investigated.
- After about an hour and a half, the USCP sent an all-clear to congressional staff, saying they reopened that portion of the Capitol campus.
What to watch: The investigation is ongoing, Sullivan said, telling reporters police are "unaware of a motive at this time."
- The incident "doesn't change" the Capitol Police's security posture for the upcoming State of the Union address, he added.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
