Capitol Police arrested a man Tuesday afternoon who was carrying a machete and a knife on the East Front of the Capitol building but have no evidence he was targeting a member of Congress, the agency said.
An officer noticed Jose Leonardo Marquez, 23, who has no fixed address, pacing back and forth and then sitting down on a ledge at about 4:15 p.m., the Capitol Police said in a news release.
The officer spoke with Marquez and noticed a brick in his pocket, which the man tossed to the side on the officer’s request, the agency said.
The man also pulled out a knife and placed it on the ledge, and the officer called for backup and secured the knife, the agency said.
The officer then noticed the handle of a machete under Marquez’s clothing, the agency said. The officer drew his service weapon and ordered the man to put his hands up.
Marquez complied and officers were able to safely take the machete away from him and arrest him, the agency said.
Marquez was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon and possession of a prohibited weapon, the agency said.
The agency said it continues to investigate, but at this time does not know why Marquez was in Washington.
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