• U.S. Capitol Police arrested an 18-year-old man running toward the Capitol with a shotgun.
• The suspect was wearing a tactical vest and had additional weapons in his vehicle.
• The arrest occurs ahead of President Trump's State of the Union address, with no known motive yet.

An 18-year-old man was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police on Tuesday after he ran from his vehicle toward the Capitol Building armed with a loaded shotgun. The individual, identified as Carter Camacho of Smyrna, Georgia, was intercepted by police as he advanced toward the building. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan reported that Camacho had exited a parked white Mercedes SUV and began running “several hundred yards” toward the Capitol before officers ordered him to lay down the weapon. Upon complying, he was taken into custody without incident, according to CBS News and South China Morning Post.

Camacho was equipped with a tactical vest and gloves, and authorities discovered a Kevlar helmet and a gas mask in his vehicle. Sullivan noted that the suspect had additional rounds on him and emphasized the significance of the prompt police response, stating that “who knows what would have happened if we wouldn’t have had officers standing here.” Police will investigate potential motives, including whether Camacho intended to target members of Congress, despite the fact that Congress was not in session at the time, as reported by Los Angeles Times and CBS News.

The suspect was unknown to previous police records, suggesting he does not reside in the immediate area. His vehicle was reportedly not registered to him, and he possesses multiple addresses, indicating further investigations are ongoing. Camacho faces several charges including unlawful activities and possession of an unregistered firearm, according to Los Angeles Times.

This incident comes just a week before President Trump’s State of the Union address, yet Sullivan stated that their security measures remain unchanged, stressing that “we take the State of the Union very, very seriously.” As crime rates have reportedly decreased in Washington D.C., authorities remain vigilant in light of such incidents, as identified in South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times.