Man arrested near Capitol with guillotine in truck after driving from California
U.S. Capitol Police detained a 35-year-old California resident who was transporting a guillotine in his pickup truck near the Supreme Court, citing a dangerous weapon charge.
U.S. Capitol Police said they arrested Philan-Tam-Duy Le, 35, of Julian, California, after spotting his pickup truck illegally parked on East Capitol Street, a short distance from the Supreme Court and the Capitol building. The vehicle contained a guillotine, which police described as a dangerous weapon in a news release.
Le, who drove from California to Washington, D.C., was taken into custody shortly after 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Authorities are reviewing his background to determine his motive for bringing the device to the capital.
Lawmakers were not present at the Capitol at the time, as Congress was in recess. The arrest occurs amid a reported rise in threats against members of Congress and the Capitol complex, with Capitol Police noting a 57% increase in concerning statements and behaviors from the previous year.
Le’s brother, Kelvin Le, told the Los Angeles Times the guillotine was intended as a “symbol of disapproval” and said his sibling was dissatisfied with both major political parties, President Donald Trump, and California Governor Gavin Newsom. Kelvin Le added, “I don’t think he’d hurt anyone.”
The incident follows a recent arrest of another individual at the Capitol’s north barricade for possessing a prohibited handgun.