A STAFF member carrying a gun entered the US Capitol on Thursday and was later arrested, police said.
An alert went out to Capitol complex staff in the Longworth building around 7:50am about "a security threat inside the building" and warning occupants to "move inside your office or the nearest office." Minutes later, the US Capitol Police said the threat was cleared.
Jeffrey Allsbrooks, 57, a staff member with the House Chief Administrative Office, USCP said in a statement, was "tracked down four minutes later" after officers "spotted the image of a handgun in a bag on the x-ray screen."
Allsbrooks told officers he forgot the gun was in the bag.
The USCP is charging him with carrying a pistol without a license, and said the case remains under investigation to look "into what happened before, during and after those four minutes."
The security alert came just hours before President Joe Biden was scheduled to arrive at the Capitol for a ceremony honoring the late Sen. Bob Dole (below), R-Kans., who is lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda.
The incident also comes at the end of a year that saw several threats and violent incidents at the Capitol. In January, a mob of pro-Trump supporters swarmed the Capitol in an attempt to stop the counting of electoral ballots that affirmed Joe Biden had won the presidency. Several people died.
Months later, a man rammed a car into a security barrier near the Capitol, killing an USCP officer. There have also been several bomb threats.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here