Man Arrested with Machete at US Capitol During Jimmy Carter’s Public Visitations
Officers spotted the machete while the man’s bag was being processed by an X-ray machine.
Capitol Police in Washington apprehended a man attempting to enter the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center with three knives and a machete on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident occurred as the public was entering the Capitol Rotunda to pay their respects to former President Jimmy Carter, who has been lying in state since Tuesday.
Officers identified the machete during the bag’s X-ray screening, and they quickly found the knives afterwards.
The law enforcement agency reported that the unnamed man faces “multiple charges of Carrying a Dangerous Weapon.”
Washington has increased security measures since last week following two separate attacks on New Year’s Day in New Orleans and Las Vegas.
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With the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump approaching in less than two weeks, the area surrounding the Capitol is heavily fenced, and law enforcement presence is intensified.
This week’s increased security also coincides with the Senate’s confirmation of Trump’s 2024 election victory.
The incoming president is scheduled to visit Carter’s casket on Thursday before meeting with Senate Republicans later that evening.
