U.S. Capitol Police arrested a man with a gun hours before President Trump gave a speech to a joint session of Congress, raising fresh concerns about the president's safety.
As reported by Just The News, a gun with 13 rounds was found in a person's backpack as the suspect entered the Capitol complex on March 4.
The incident, which unfolded after 9 a.m., was recorded in a police incident report.
"The Suspect was detained by A/O, while R/O conducted a physical search of the backpack," the report said. "R/O discovered a handgun with a 15 round capacity magazine loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition. The Suspect was placed under arrest and transported to Headquarters for processing," the report said.
The report added that the gun had a valid registration. House Republicans say the incident is under investigation by the U.S. Capitol Police Inspector General's office.
"The Speaker's Office is aware of the incident — and will work with the relevant House Committees to obtain much-needed answers," House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) office said in a written statement to Just the News. "These allegations represent another serious security breach and they will be thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed."
Capitol Police dismissed a claim from Trump operative Roger Stone that a person with a gun made it inside the
House chamber where Trump delivered his remarks after 9 p.m. that evening.
"We have no indication that any of this is true or accurate," U.S. Capitol Police told Newsweek.
Concerns about Trump's safety were heightened after he survived two assassination attempts while campaigning for re-election in 2024. The first would-be assassin came within an inch of shooting Trump in the head at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
There have been a number of recent incidents involving armed suspects at the Capitol. A man was arrested on Election Day reeking of fuel and carrying a torch and flare gun. In January, a man attempted to set his car on fire as Trump visited the Capitol to meet with Republicans and pay his respects to Jimmy Carter.
Firearms and explosives are prohibited on Capitol grounds.
Risks to the Capitol have not come exclusively from members of the public: the Capitol Police officer who killed January 6th protester Ashli Babbitt, Michael Byrd, had been cited for a number of firearm safety issues, including leaving his pistol in a public bathroom.
