FILE PHOTO: A view of the dome of the U.S. Capitol building, during a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on a stopgap spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown that would otherwise begin October 1, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. U.S., September 19, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo Image:Reuters/Kent Nishimura

Man arrested after running toward U.S. capitol with loaded shotgun, say police

17 Feb 2026, 19:05 · Japan Today

WASHINGTON — An 18-year-old man ran toward the U.S. Capitol with ‌a loaded shotgun on Tuesday before police arrested him without incident, said U.S. Capitol ‌Police Chief Michael Sullivan.

The motive ⁠of the man, who police ⁠said ⁠was wearing a tactical vest ‌and tactical gloves, was not immediately known. He ⁠also ⁠had a Kevlar helmet and a gas mask in his vehicle, police said.

Sullivan said the man arrived ⁠in a white Mercedes ⁠SUV just after noon and ‌parked near the Capitol, before getting out and running toward the building that houses the U.S. Congress.

Police ‌challenged the man and ordered him to drop the weapon, which he did, Sullivan told reporters.

The incident took place less than three months after a National Guard member was killed and another wounded in an ambush shooting near the ‌White House.

President Donald Trump is due to deliver the State of the Union address at the ‌Capitol next week.

"We take the ⁠State of the ⁠Union very, very seriously, and this doesn't change ⁠our posture. We ‌will be prepared on State of the Union night," Sullivan said.