U.S. Capitol Police arrested a California man Tuesday after officers found a 10-foot-tall wooden guillotine with a metal blade in the back of his pickup truck, parked illegally just steps from the Supreme Court and U.S. Capitol buildings.
What Happened
Officers spotted the truck shortly after 3 p.m. parked along East Capitol Street, a small street running alongside the Supreme Court. The driver, identified as 35-year-old Philan-Tam-Duy Le of Julian, California, had driven the guillotine across the country. When an officer asked whether the device was fully functioning, Le reportedly told them it was “the real deal.” He was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon.
Signs He Was Headed There
An Instagram story posted from an account that appears to belong to Le showed video from earlier that day of a man sitting in front of the guillotine, captioned “Guillotine adventures” and “Capital hill next,” suggesting the trip to Washington was a planned stop rather than a spontaneous decision.
What’s Still Unknown
U.S. Capitol Police say they’re investigating why Le brought the guillotine to Washington in the first place. No injuries were reported, and authorities have not described any specific threat tied to the device beyond the weapons charge itself.
