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California Man Arrested After Capitol Police Discover Guillotine Outside U.S. Capitol

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Just the facts

United States Capitol Police arrested 35-year-old Philan-Tam-Duy Le of Julian, California, after discovering a full-sized upright guillotine in his pickup truck near the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court building. Officers charged Le with carrying a dangerous weapon after locating the illegally parked vehicle following his cross-country trip from California. Federal law enforcement investigators initiated a background investigation into Le's activities and statements to determine the motive behind transporting the device to Washington, D.C. The incident follows previous law enforcement seizures around the Capitol complex, including a homemade sword and brass knuckles recovered during security screening at a Senate office building.

Why this is news

United States Capitol Police officers detained a California resident near Capitol Hill after observing an upright guillotine in the bed of his pickup truck.

Sources

This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.

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