An 18-year-old male ran toward the United States Capitol on Tuesday carrying a loaded shotgun and was arrested without incident, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan said.
Police said the suspect arrived shortly after noon in a white Mercedes SUV, parked near the building that houses Congress, then exited the vehicle and ran toward the Capitol. Officers confronted him and ordered him to surrender the weapon, which he did, Sullivan told reporters.
Authorities described the man as wearing a tactical vest and tactical gloves at the time of the incident. Officers found additional items in his vehicle, including a Kevlar helmet and a gas mask, police said. Law enforcement officials have not stated the suspect’s motive.
The arrest occurred less than three months after an ambush shooting near the White House in which a National Guard member was killed and another was wounded. Chief Sullivan said the proximity of the earlier attack is part of the context for how the department views incidents at or near key federal sites.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver the State of the Union address at the Capitol next week. Responding to questions about how Tuesday’s incident might affect security planning for that event, Sullivan said: "We take the State of the Union very, very seriously, and this doesn’t change our posture. We will be prepared on State of the Union night."
Officials emphasized that the suspect was taken into custody without any reported injuries or exchange of gunfire. Beyond describing the tactical clothing and items found in the vehicle, police provided no further public details on the suspect’s intentions or potential affiliations.
The episode highlights how law enforcement monitors and responds to armed individuals approaching critical federal buildings. At this stage, investigators have not released information about whether any charges have been filed or whether additional evidence was recovered beyond the items noted by police.
For now, Chief Sullivan's comments indicate that security preparations for the upcoming State of the Union will remain firmly in place, and that authorities are treating incidents at or near the Capitol with heightened vigilance given recent events in the capital.