Man Arrested in D.C. for Possessing Guillotine Near U.S. Capitol

A California man was arrested in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday after law enforcement personnel officers found a guillotine on the back of a truck parked near the U.S. Capitol, in an matter that comes amid concerns about growing threats to lawmakers and other high-profile Secret Service protectees.

In a statement, the U.S. Capitol Police said its officers “seized a guillotine” that was spotted on the bed of a pickup truck along the 100 block of East Capitol Street. For related coverage, explore our detailed analysis on Technology and Digital Systems.

What's Behind the Growing Threats Against Lawmakers?

Shortly after this, police arrested Philan-Tam-Duy Le, a 35-year-old from Julian, California, “for carrying a dangerous weapon for being in possession of the guillotine.”

A guillotine is a large apparatus that is used to behead people

According to Capitol Police, the suspect drove the truck all the way from California, and they are examining his background to determine why he came to Washington, D.C.

Investigation into Suspect's Background Ongoing

The law enforcement personnel statement included photos showing both the truck and the very large wooden-frame guillotine mounted on the truck bed.

In a report published in January, the U.S. Capitol Law enforcement personnel officers reported that the number of threats against lawmakers rose for the third consecutive year in 2025. The agency said it opened 14,938 cases into “concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against Members of Congress, their families, staff, and the Capitol Complex” last year.

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This is a major increase from 9,474 such cases in 2024 and 8,008 in 2023.

Aside from the Capitol Police, the Secret Service has also warned that threats against protectees have been “off the charts” and the agency is operating under a “heightened level of threat environment right now.” Last month, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the agency has initiated more than 10,000 investigations into threats against people the agency has been assigned to protect. This marked a 40% increase compared to the same period in 2025 and the agency also noted that mental health-related interventions are 10 times higher this year.

The Secret Service is working closely with Capitol Police to identify the motivations behind the increasing threats, as well as to ensure public safety and security.

According to the U.S. Capitol Police report, the number of threats against lawmakers increased

The police are still examining the suspect's background to determine why he came to Washington, D.C. and what his intentions were when carrying a guillotine near the U.S. Capitol.

The Secret Service has taken enhanced precautions to ensure public safety and security in response to the growing threats against protectees.

Last month, the agency reported that it had initiated over 10,000 investigations into threats against people assigned to its protection, a 40% increase compared to the same period in 2025.