Armed Man Arrested Outside U.S. Capitol

An armed driver sparked a tense security scare outside the U.S. Capitol on Monday after police swarmed his gray Ford Bronco near a barricade and took him into custody just steps from the building that houses Congress.

The dramatic scene unfolded on July 13 at the North Barricade of the Capitol, near the Senate side of the complex. U.S. Capitol Police said the man had a firearm, which is strictly prohibited on Capitol grounds.

“We just arrested a man at the North Barricade of the U.S. Capitol who had a firearm. Firearms are prohibited on Capitol Grounds. The North Barricade will be closed while the USCP investigates,” Capitol Police said in a statement. “Our investigators are working to learn more about the suspect and why he drove to the U.S. Capitol.”

Authorities had not publicly identified the man as of early Monday afternoon, and it was not immediately clear why he had driven to the Capitol.

The U.S. Secret Service and the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department referred questions about the incident to Capitol Police.

Photos posted to X by reporter Jamie Dupree showed Capitol Police officers rushing toward the north barricade just before 11:30 a.m. local time as the situation rapidly escalated.

According to CNN, six officers surrounded the SUV. Two officers reportedly aimed their weapons at the driver as he stepped out of the vehicle with his hands raised, then walked backward away from the Bronco.

Police handcuffed the man as additional officers rushed to the scene, CNN reported.

In an unusual detail, a dog was also inside the vehicle, according to the outlet.

The scare comes as Capitol security remains under intense scrutiny following a series of disturbing incidents in recent years.

In February, an 18-year-old from Georgia was arrested at the Capitol after allegedly rushing toward the building with a loaded shotgun. Firearms remain banned from Capitol grounds, and police have repeatedly warned that weapons violations around the complex are taken seriously.

For now, investigators are working to determine who the driver is, why he came to the Capitol, and what he intended to do with the gun in his vehicle.