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California man arrested after police find guillotine near U.S. Capitol

U.S. Capitol Police detained a driver on Tuesday following a parking violation east of the Capitol grounds.

The short version

  • U.S. Capitol Police arrested 35-year-old Philan-Tam-Duy Le of Julian, California, near the U.S. Capitol complex.
  • Officers detained Le after finding a guillotine in the bed of his illegally parked pickup truck.
  • Law enforcement authorities are investigating the suspect's motives for traveling cross-country with the device.

Key facts

  • U.S. Capitol Police arrested 35-year-old Philan-Tam-Duy Le shortly after 3 p.m. on Tuesday.[Associated Press]
  • Officers discovered a guillotine in the back of Le's pickup truck, which was parked illegally east of the Capitol grounds.[Associated Press]
  • Authorities stated that Le drove to Washington, D.C. from California.[Associated Press]

What remains uncertain

  • The suspect's specific intent and motive for bringing the guillotine to the Capitol remain under investigation by law enforcement.[Associated Press]

Sources