The incident comes a week before President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver the State of the Union address on February 24, and comes at a time when threats against members of Congress are spiking.
Police arrest a man who ran toward the Capitol with a loaded shotgun
Police say they have arrested a man who ran toward the U.S. Capitol with a loaded shotgun and a tactical vest.
WASHINGTON – Police announced Wednesday they have arrested a man who was allegedly seen running toward the U.S. Capitol while wearing a tactical vest and carrying a loaded shotgun.
Police said they met with the suspect and told him to drop the weapon and lie on the ground, which he did. Authorities said he was 18 years old and “not from the area.”
The arrests come a week before President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of the House and Senate on February 24.
“We take the State of the Union very seriously and this will not change our stance,” Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan told reporters. “We’re gearing up for the State of the Union.”
The incident comes amid a surge in threats against members of Congress. According to the U.S. Capitol Police, 14,938 threats were recorded in 2025. The previous peak was 9,625 in 2021.
Sullivan said the motive is still under investigation and she doesn’t know if the man said anything during his arrest.
Sullivan said Capitol Police holds monthly training sessions to combat mass shooters, and in recent months, training sessions have resulted in the arrest of a suspect.
“If we didn’t have police officers here guarding us every day, who knows what would have happened?” Sullivan said.
The suspect was allegedly seen parking a white Mercedes SUV along Maryland Avenue across First Street southwest from the Capitol. He was seen running toward the West Front of the Capitol, which faces the National Mall. Police said they found a Kevlar helmet and gas mask inside the car.
