Armed man with AR-15 ARRESTED on Capitol Hill: Police confirm suspect in custody after emergency call from outside congressional offices
- “At this time we have no reason to believe there is an ongoing threat,” police said
- An officer told reporters it was a “guy with an AR-15.”
U.S. Capitol Police arrested a man with an AR-15 rifle outside the Capitol complex Tuesday afternoon.
Police confirmed that the suspect arrested on the Senate side of the Capitol was in custody after receiving a 911 call.
“USCP officers just arrested a man with a gun in the park across from Union Station. At this time, we have no reason to believe there is an ongoing threat,” Capitol Police wrote on X.
“We are working to gather more information and will release more details as they are confirmed,” the post continued.
An officer told reporters it was a “guy with an AR-15.” His motive is still unclear at this time.
U.S. Capitol Police arrested a man with an AR-15 pistol outside the Capitol complex Tuesday afternoon
U.S. Capitol Police also said they responded to a “suspicious package” in the upper Senate park area.
Staff and pedestrians have been advised to avoid the area until more information is known.
The police activity is taking place around Columbus Circle, between the Capitol and Union Station.
It is less than a half mile walk from Union Station to the Senate side of the Capitol complex.
Members of Congress are in the Capitol today, working from their office buildings on opposite sides of the complex.
The Senate is in session and voted for Biden’s National Institutes of Health (NIH) nominee Monica Bertagnolli during the arrest.
The House of Representatives is also meeting today.
Earlier Tuesday, Republicans held a press conference with families of individuals taken hostage by Hamas, exactly one month after the horrific terrorist attack that killed more than 1,400 civilians.
According to reports, police prevented staff and reporters from leaving the building through the Senate carriage door.
An aide to Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., wrote on X that she is grateful for the “immediate action” of the Capitol Police.
‘This is horrible. And tiring. And not normal. We are tired of living this way. Enough is enough.’
In August, a false alarm from an active shooter caused panic in the Capitol following a “bad” 911 call from a Senate office.
Some raised their hands as they left the government building during a false alarm in August
In August, Senate staffers were seen streaming out of the Russell Senate Office Building accompanied by police officers during a false alarm
The DC Metropolitan Police confirmed there were “no injuries” and no shooter was inside the Capitol after the call prompted a lockdown of the Senate office buildings.
The buildings were evacuated and police went from floor to floor to secure everything.
Employees were told to hide in their offices and walked into the street – some holding their hands up – as police arrived on the scene.