US Capitol security breached: Man with 'suicidal thoughts' arrested, gun recovered

In a shocking incident that has raised alarms about security at the U.S. Capitol, a Massachusetts man was discovered carrying a firearm after completing a tour of the Capitol building. The man was apprehended after exiting the nearby Library of Congress on Tuesday, according to a report by ABC News.

Authorities in Washington were alerted by police in Carlisle, Massachusetts, on Monday regarding the individual, who had expressed suicidal thoughts on social media. Following this tip, the U.S. Secret Service and Metropolitan Police located him at a Washington hotel early Tuesday morning. Despite a preliminary interview and search that yielded no weapon, the situation escalated later that day, the report said.

The man successfully passed through a magnetometer screening at the Capitol Visitor Center, where the alarm was triggered. However, an officer conducted a secondary hand search and ultimately allowed him entry into the building. "An officer performed a secondary hand search, and the man was let into the building," ABC news quoted U.S. Capitol Police as saying.


After completing a full tour of Congress, Capitol Police were alerted to the man's presence, leading to his identification outside the Library of Congress. Upon searching him, law enforcement officials discovered a 9mm handgun concealed in his waistband.

The suspect has been charged with several offenses, including "Unlawful Activities, Carrying a Pistol Without a License, Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Resisting Arrest." The case is currently under review by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

In response to the incident, the officer who conducted the magnetometer screening has been suspended pending an administrative investigation by the Capitol Police's Office of Professional Responsibility, the report added. While the Capitol police have stated that there is no evidence suggesting the man intended to harm anyone in Congress, the situation has raised serious concerns about security protocols.

" A full review of this incident has already been ordered, as well as mandatory refresher training on security screening, so this never happens again," Capitol Police noted in their statement.

Members of Congress were briefed on this security breach on Thursday.