U.S. Capitol Police have arrested a man identified as Philan-Tam-Duy Le from Julian, California. Le, aged 35, was taken into custody on Tuesday for transporting a guillotine in the bed of his pickup truck. The arrest followed suspicions of ‘carrying a dangerous weapon,’ as stated in a police news release.
The pickup truck was discovered parked illegally along East Capitol Street near the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court. Congress is currently in recess, with lawmakers dispersed in their home districts.
The police report revealed that Le traveled from California to Washington D.C. The arrest has prompted U.S. Capitol Police investigators to delve into his background to understand the motive behind his journey to Washington.
U.S. Capitol Police said, “USCP investigators are going through the suspect’s background to learn more about why he came to Washington.”
Le’s truck attracted attention due to its proximity to key government buildings, sparking security concerns. The arrest occurred without reported incidents of politically motivated actions, which Capitol Police clarified is often the case for arrests made beyond the Capitol grounds.
Le’s alleged Instagram account showcased a video of him with the guillotine outside the FBI headquarters in Washington. The video featured a commentary from him saying, “Outside the FBI building, just eating some cheese pizza,” paired with a caption, “Guillotine adventures” and indicating, “Capital hill next.”
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