California Man Arrested After Guillotine Found Near US Capitol

United States Capitol Police arrested a California man Tuesday after officers noticed a guillotine sitting in the back of a pickup truck in daylight, just a short distance from the U.S. Capitol.

Authorities identified the man as Philan-Tam-Duy Le, 35, of Julian, California. Capitol Police said Le had driven across the country before the guillotine was spotted near Capitol Hill, close to the Supreme Court building.

Officials said the pickup truck was illegally parked, and the large device was standing upright in the truck bed when officers found it.

Le was taken into custody and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon in connection with the guillotine, according to Capitol Police.

Investigators are now working to determine why Le traveled from California to Washington, D.C., and what led him to bring the massive guillotine with him.

“USCP investigators are going through the suspect’s background to learn more about why he came to Washington, D.C.,” officials said.

The discovery adds to a string of unusual weapons incidents reported in and around the Capitol complex, an area considered among the most tightly secured locations in the United States.

More than a week ago, officials found a homemade sword and brass knuckles at a Senate office building, Fox 5 DC reported. The items were reportedly discovered inside a man’s bag during a security screening.

Last year, a man was arrested after a machete and knives were discovered at a screening checkpoint in the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC), according to USCP. The 44-year-old man was arrested on multiple counts of carrying a dangerous weapon, officials said.

In 2021, a California man was arrested after officers discovered an unmarked truck displaying White supremacist symbols near the Democratic National Committee headquarters after midnight, according to USCP. A bayonet and machete were found inside the vehicle, officials said.