Chilling Capitol Security Breach: Teen Armed with Loaded Shotgun Apprehended

Officials have announced that an armed individual apprehended near the U.S. Capitol was in possession of a loaded shotgun.

The suspect, identified as an 18-year-old, was noticed when he began sprinting toward the Capitol building while brandishing the weapon, according to U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan at a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon.

The young man was dressed in a tactical vest and carried extra ammunition with him.

As he approached the Capitol’s western entrance with the shotgun, Capitol Police confronted him, and the suspect complied with their orders, authorities reported.

It has been confirmed that the teenager is not a resident of the local area and was previously unknown to law enforcement before this event.

USCP originally put out a threat warning just after noon local time, noting an incident near the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace. 

‘Our officers just arrested a person with what appears to be a gun near the West Front of the US Capitol Building. Please avoid the area,’ USCP said in a statement.

‘Staff and other personnel are directed to AVOID THIS AREA until further notice,’ the statement added. 

A man with a shotgun, rounds of ammunition and a tactical vest ran towards the US Capitol building on Tuesday before being stopped by Capitol Police

A White Mercedes Benz was picture being searched by USCP

The car, suspected to be owned by the 18-year-old would-be assailant, was towed after the incident

Within 30 minutes, USCP announced they had arrested the suspect.

Maryland Avenue was momentarily closed between First and Third Streets, SW.

The Lower West Terrace is a hardly ever utilized space on the Capitol’s entrance facing the National Mall. It is most notably used for the swearing in of presidents and has few other ceremonial uses. 

Images from the scene showed a number of officers standing near the Lower West Terrace with police tape up as authorities investigated. 

Capitol Police has said that there are no other suspects at this time. 

The USCP later gave the all clear around 2 pm local time and traffic resumed as normal. 

Lawmakers are in recess this week; most representatives and senators are not in Washington or at the Capitol. 

‘The fact that I work in a building that’s such a major target is always in the back of my mind when I’m coming into work,’ one hill aide told the Daily Mail. ‘It’s definitely a little unnerving at times, but I’m thankful that the Capitol police do such a great job protecting us & stopping these incidents before they become a tragedy.’

The Capitol Complex and members of Congress have seen a sharp uptick in threats over the last five years. 

Two Democratic lawmakers have recently been attacked as threats against members of Congress continue to rise  

Recently, the Capitol Police released a threat assessment showing that the number of concerning statements, behaviors and communications directed against lawmakers, their families, staff and the Capitol Complex has risen drastically. 

In 2025, the agency investigated 14,938 incidents, a major increase year-over-year from the 9,474 incidents in 2024.

The Capitol Police has been contacted for comment. 

There have already been two members of Congress attacked this year. 

Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota was sprayed with an unknown substance from a syringe while giving a town hall in Minneapolis. 

Days before that, Democratic Congressman Maxwell Frost of Florida was punched in the face while attending the Sundance Film Festival. 

The man who sprayed Omar and the man who punched Frost were later charged with assault.