The U.S. Capitol Police said Wednesday that they had arrested a man who tried to enter the visitor center connected to the Capitol while carrying a machete and several knives.
The incident occurred as visitors continued to stream into the Capitol to pay respects to former President Jimmy Carter, whose body was lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda for a second day before a funeral service scheduled for Thursday. In addition, President-elect Donald Trump was set to meet with Senate Republicans late Wednesday at the Capitol.
“During security screening at the CVC’s north doors, our officers spotted a machete in the man’s bag, stopped the x-ray machine, arrested the man, and secured the machete,” the Capitol Police said in a social media post describing the arrest.
“Three knives were also found in the bag, along with the machete. Security screening was temporarily stopped at the north side of the Capitol Visitor Center while we investigated,” the police said.
No details about the man’s identity or possible motive were made available.
The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is a sprawling underground building that serves as the main intake for tourists visiting the Capitol in Washington. It includes a grand hall, theaters for visitors to watch videos about how Congress works and extra meeting rooms and an auditorium for use by lawmakers.
Though it is run by the Architect of the Capitol’s office, much of it is divided into House and Senate premises, with each having its own security screening areas, similar to those in airports. The north side entrance is the Senate side screening area.
The building was opened in 2008 after six years of construction, and its existence is itself due in part to an attack on the Capitol. In 1998, a man entered an east entrance to the Capitol with a gun and was subdued only after he had fatally shot two Capitol Police officers. The attack underscored the need for improved security, which the center is meant to provide.
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The Capitol Police said the man arrested Wednesday was being held for “multiple charges” of carrying a dangerous weapon.