The U.S. Capitol Police have arrested a man from California after discovering a guillotine in the back of his illegally parked truck near the Capitol complex in Washington, D.C.
According to an official statement from the police, officers spotted the truck at around 3 p.m. on Tuesday in the 100 block of East Capitol Street, east of the Capitol building and adjacent to the Supreme Court.
The police seized the guillotine and arrested Pham Tam Duy Lee, a 35-year-old from Julian, California, on charges of possessing a dangerous weapon.
A photo released by the Capitol Police showed an elevated wooden frame with a metal blade attached to the back of the small truck.
The authorities stated that the man drove his truck from California to Washington, indicating that investigators are reviewing his background to determine the reasons for his trip and the motive behind bringing a guillotine to the area surrounding the Capitol.
Officials have not disclosed whether the individual made threats against any person or institution, and they have not identified any direct connection between the incident and Congress or the Supreme Court.
Based on available official information, the man was arrested due to his possession of the guillotine as a dangerous weapon, along with parking his truck in a prohibited area.