A 27-year-old man from Massachusetts was arrested by Capitol police after entering the U.S. Capitol with a handgun in his possession. The incident occurred on Tuesday when the man was found leaving the Library of Congress and heading towards his car. Upon searching him, officers discovered a handgun concealed in his waistband.
Fortunately, no one was harmed during the incident, and authorities stated that there was no evidence to suggest that the man intended to harm Congress. However, the police officer who allowed the man into the Capitol after the security checkpoint has been suspended pending an investigation.
Security footage revealed that the man triggered the magnetometers at the checkpoint, leading to a secondary hand search by the officer. Despite this, the man was permitted to enter the building, prompting the Capitol police to order a full review of the incident and mandate refresher training on security screening procedures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The man now faces charges including carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, and resisting arrest. In response to the security breach, House lawmakers overseeing the Capitol police expressed severe disappointment and announced plans for a comprehensive review of all visitor screening practices to prevent such incidents from happening again.
