Armed man wearing tactical vest arrested outside U.S. Capitol, police say
WASHINGTON — An 18-year-old man was arrested Tuesday after he began running toward the U.S. Capitol with a loaded shotgun, police said.
Officers stopped the man, who was wearing a tactical vest and gloves, and ordered him to drop his weapon, which he did, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan told reporters.
Sullivan said the man put down the weapon and then laid down on the ground before being arrested by U.S. Capitol Police officers on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.
Capitol Police later identified the man as Carter Camacho of Smyrna, Georgia, saying in a news release that he was arrested for illegal activity, carrying an unlicensed rifle, an unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition.
The statement added that police were investigating a potential motive and that Camacho was not registered with Capitol Police.
Sullivan said the suspect had additional bullets on him. In addition to the tactical vest, the chief said he wore tactical gloves. Police also discovered a Kevlar helmet and a gas mask inside the suspect’s vehicle, a white Mercedes SUV, parked near the building.
Lawmakers are back home in their districts this week for the holidays, but congressional staff continue to work at the Capitol.
The incident comes a week before President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address at the Capitol on February 24.
Capitol Police have faced similar incidents in the past in which armed individuals were arrested outside the Capitol or while passing through security inside the building.
Members of Congress have also faced myriad threats in recent years as violence against elected officials has exploded. A U.S. Capitol Police report released last month found that the number of threats related to Congress increased for the third year in a row in 2025 and reached its highest level in years.
