U.S. Capitol Police arrested a California man Tuesday after officers discovered a large guillotine in the bed of his pickup truck near the Supreme Court, authorities said.
The unusual discovery unfolded around 3 p.m. near the 100 block of East Capitol Street. Capitol Police said officers initially noticed the truck because it was illegally parked.
Photographs released by authorities showed the guillotine standing visibly in the pickup’s bed. Police later removed the contraption from the vehicle and seized it.
The driver, identified as 35-year-old Philan-Tam-Duy Le of Julian, California, was taken into custody on a charge of carrying a dangerous weapon because he possessed the guillotine, according to the department.
“The suspect, 35-year-old Philan-Tam-Duy Le of Julian, CA, was arrested for Carrying a Dangerous Weapon for being in possession of the guillotine,” Capitol Police said in a statement.
Julian is located in California’s Cuyamaca Mountains, approximately 60 miles from San Diego. Authorities said Le drove across the country from California to Washington, D.C.
Investigators are now reviewing the suspect’s background and attempting to determine why he traveled to the nation’s capital with the device.
“The suspect drove here from California,” Capitol Police said. “USCP investigators are going through the suspect’s background to learn more about why he came to Washington, DC.”
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials have not announced a possible motive.
The arrest occurred while the Supreme Court was away for its summer recess. Capitol Police did not provide additional details about Le’s intended destination or what he planned to do with the guillotine.
