A man was taken into custody outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C. yesterday after Capitol Police noticed him behaving erratically. The man, identified as 23-year-old Jose Leonardo Marquez, was asked by an officer to remove a brick from his pocket. Upon complying, the man also revealed a knife and then a machete hidden beneath his clothing.
Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger commended the vigilance of the officers, stating, “This is another example of the vigilance and strong intuition of our USCP officers.” The arrest took place on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol, with the Senate holding pro-forma sessions until January 8 and the House on break until January 9.
The suspect, Marquez, has no fixed address, and authorities have stated that there is no evidence to suggest that he was targeting any members of Congress. He has been charged with Carrying a Dangerous Weapon and Possession of a Prohibited Weapon.
This incident comes after Capitol Police arrested another individual with a rifle near the Capitol last month. The suspect in that case, 21-year-old Ahmir Lavon Merrell of Atlanta, GA, was approached by officers after a witness reported seeing a man with a rifle in a nearby park. Merrell refused to drop the gun and was subsequently tased and taken into custody.
While the investigations into both cases are ongoing, it is still not clear what the suspects were doing in Washington, D.C., and what their intentions were. In the case of Merrell, he has been charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Unregistered Ammunition, Unregistered Firearm, Fugitive from Justice, and Unlawful Activities.
The swift actions of the Capitol Police officers in both incidents have been praised, with Chief Manger emphasizing the dedication of the force to ensuring the safety of all individuals around the U.S. Capitol.
It is clear that the Capitol Police are maintaining a high level of vigilance and quick responsiveness to potential threats, ensuring the safety and security of the Capitol and its surroundings. The recent arrests demonstrate their commitment to upholding the law and protecting the public from potentially dangerous situations.
