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BumRushDaShow

(157,313 posts)
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 02:13 PM Jan 2025

Security breach at US Capitol: ABC News exclusive

Source: ABC News

January 23, 2025, 12:20 PM


A Massachusetts man was found to be carrying a gun after attending a tour of the U.S. Capitol as he left the nearby Library of Congress on Tuesday, police officials told ABC News on Thursday. Authorities in Washington were alerted by police in Carlisle, Massachusetts, on Monday that a man with a gun who had expressed suicidal ideations on social media was headed to Washington.

The U.S. Secret Service and Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police found the man in a Washington hotel early Tuesday morning and interviewed him, sources said. They searched for a gun and found no weapon and no further action was taken at that time, they said.

Later that day, the man went through a Capitol Police magnetometer screening and entered the Capitol Visitor Center. The magnetometer sounded an alarm and "an officer performed a secondary hand search, and the man was let into the building," according to a statement from U.S. Capitol Police.

After getting past security, Capitol Police were alerted to his presence and issued a bulletin to be on the lookout for the man. They located him after he had completed the full tour of Congress outside the Library of Congress a short time later and found that he had a 9mm handgun in his waistband, law enforcement sources said.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/security-breach-us-capitol-abc-news-exclusive/story?id=118027006



Democrats should hold a press conference and for the rest of the week and into next week, start ranting and raving against Johnson would now be designated as "in charge of the (entire) Capitol and its security" like the GOP insisted Emeritus Pelosi was on January 6.
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Security breach at US Capitol: ABC News exclusive (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Jan 2025 OP
Wait. Miguelito Loveless Jan 2025 #1
Pretty crappy search.nt moniss Jan 2025 #3
Based on the article's verbiage AZJonnie Jan 2025 #5
Story doesn't say he had a gun while in the Capitol AZJonnie Jan 2025 #2
But what set off the detector? And if he didn't have a gun when he was searched, where did the gun come from? 50 Shades Of Blue Jan 2025 #6
See post #18 below AZJonnie Jan 2025 #19
The article says the exact opposite LearnedHand Jan 2025 #11
It actually does not, it just seems like it AZJonnie Jan 2025 #18
Ah you're right! LearnedHand Jan 2025 #20
All good, I read it a couple times, frankly because I *hoped* that the Capitol Police didn't mess up like it seemed AZJonnie Jan 2025 #23
Is 162 posts too late for a Welcome to DU? maxsolomon Jan 2025 #15
Certainly not, and TYVM AZJonnie Jan 2025 #21
Yes, bdamomma Jan 2025 #37
Welcome to DU, AZ! Juneboarder Jan 2025 #17
Thanks so much! AZJonnie Jan 2025 #22
The pat down missed a handgun that was IN HIS WAISTBAND? 50 Shades Of Blue Jan 2025 #4
It does not explicitly say that AZJonnie Jan 2025 #16
Probably Traildogbob Jan 2025 #7
Piss poor search sarisataka Jan 2025 #8
No big deal nowforever Jan 2025 #9
Why the cause for alarm? He's just a tourist tulipsandroses Jan 2025 #10
This right here. durablend Jan 2025 #12
Nice WTF kind of searches do they actually do. Historic NY Jan 2025 #13
He could've had the gun outside and grabbed it between the Capitol Tour AZJonnie Jan 2025 #24
He had and then he didn't have it Historic NY Jan 2025 #28
I read this other article, and it seems authorities believe he entered Capitol with a gun AZJonnie Jan 2025 #32
While Not a gun, on my first WH visit I forgot to take one metal thing off, or out of my pocket and set the Alarm off... electric_blue68 Jan 2025 #33
I've set them off too Blue_Roses Jan 2025 #36
Perhaps the Capitol cop doing the patdown let him through as payback for 1/6/21. Mawspam2 Jan 2025 #14
There's a convicted felon in the White House with his deplorable gang. Oh well. twodogsbarking Jan 2025 #25
it's a shame you have to explain stillcool Jan 2025 #26
A loaded gun in his waistband, magnetometer warning sounded, hand search. And he still gets through security? patphil Jan 2025 #27
Is He a Republican? MissouriDem47 Jan 2025 #29
Probably an appendix carry Aviation Pro Jan 2025 #30
Better luck next time... or, somthing. Oopsie Daisy Jan 2025 #31
After the tour? After? Solly Mack Jan 2025 #34
Yeah, I thought that a really important bit of information. Igel Jan 2025 #35

AZJonnie

(1,102 posts)
2. Story doesn't say he had a gun while in the Capitol
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 02:19 PM
Jan 2025

But find your idea amusing anyway, given we're living in a post-truth world anyway.

50 Shades Of Blue

(11,189 posts)
6. But what set off the detector? And if he didn't have a gun when he was searched, where did the gun come from?
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 02:23 PM
Jan 2025

Not to give you a hard time - these are just some questions the story raises for me and that were not answered in the article!

AZJonnie

(1,102 posts)
19. See post #18 below
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 03:33 PM
Jan 2025

No sweat, I can totally see how one gets the impression that the detector monitors MUST have failed from the article, but a careful parsing suggests that may or may not be true. I've triggered metal detectors w/o a gun, many times. Since I've never carried one in my life.

LearnedHand

(4,840 posts)
11. The article says the exact opposite
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 02:34 PM
Jan 2025

Bold emphasis mine.

They located him after he had completed the full tour of Congress outside the Library of Congress a short time later and found that he had a 9mm handgun in his waistband, law enforcement sources said.

AZJonnie

(1,102 posts)
18. It actually does not, it just seems like it
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 03:30 PM
Jan 2025

Last edited Thu Jan 23, 2025, 04:10 PM - Edit history (1)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the sequence of events here seems to be:

1) Enters Capitol for Tour
2) Is patted down after detector goes off (note: detectors can go off for many reasons other than guns) and found to be unarmed
3) Completes Capitol Tour and leaves Capitol building
4) Presumably walks over to the Library of Congress, a period of time in which he is outside, and his exact activities are unknown
5) Is found with a 9mm outside said library.

I'm saying the article suggests it's possible, not that it's known.

AZJonnie

(1,102 posts)
23. All good, I read it a couple times, frankly because I *hoped* that the Capitol Police didn't mess up like it seemed
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 03:49 PM
Jan 2025

at first blush. Because I have bit of a soft spot for them for, obvious reasons It also registered to me that earlier in the time sequence he was questioned and it's suggested that his room and car searched, and no gun found. Which had me thinking, as I proceeded reading the rest of the story 'okay, so the guy had possibly already hidden the gun somewhere'

AZJonnie

(1,102 posts)
16. It does not explicitly say that
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 03:22 PM
Jan 2025

Says he was found with a gun outside the Library of Congress, which is of course separate from the Capitol building, sometime after the tour thereof.

Traildogbob

(11,569 posts)
7. Probably
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 02:23 PM
Jan 2025

Just Boebert taking a newly released MAGA on that special tour.
So now, MAGA Miss Mike et al have their lives in the hands of Capital police! Interesting scenario.

nowforever

(574 posts)
9. No big deal
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 02:31 PM
Jan 2025

He just assumed after the pardons he could do anything, he was probably just looking for a good location to defecate.

durablend

(8,434 posts)
12. This right here.
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 02:47 PM
Jan 2025

Clearly meant no harm seeing 1600 other people did the same and were let go.

Historic NY

(39,160 posts)
13. Nice WTF kind of searches do they actually do.
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 02:52 PM
Jan 2025

If the damn thing alerted they should have got totally hands on, TSA would be searching his junk

AZJonnie

(1,102 posts)
24. He could've had the gun outside and grabbed it between the Capitol Tour
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 03:55 PM
Jan 2025

and appearing outside the Library of Congress, which is *not* inside the Capitol building. Also, they're called 'metal detectors', not 'gun detectors' for a reason. I've set one off lots of times, and I've never carried a gun anywhere outside the home since Boy Scout camp.

Is this scenario less likely? Yes. But I don't want to assume the Capitol Police totally screwed up like this unless it's proven. This news story, as laid out, does not prove it.

Historic NY

(39,160 posts)
28. He had and then he didn't have it
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 04:32 PM
Jan 2025

they don't have gun storage any more in any of the buildings. Besides that he was on a suicide mission/ I carried a gun in DC for a number of years, that's was when you got wanded, You didn't pass go if an alarm went off. I even went to the WH and the SS took the gun and checked it to a locked cabinet. All building have detectors now even the old PO where TRumps hotel was. The again the Republicans hated the metal detectors. Besides they have cameras all over the place, in all public buildings

There is more
https://www.abc27.com/news/us-world/politics/ap-man-who-took-a-us-capitol-tour-with-a-gun-in-his-possession-is-arrested-police-say/

AZJonnie

(1,102 posts)
32. I read this other article, and it seems authorities believe he entered Capitol with a gun
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 05:03 PM
Jan 2025

And have suspended the agent who did the hand pat. Okay. That is more information than the OP's article snippet.

However, unless a) the guy has admitted it (which is not said in either article) or b) there's video showing his whereabouts at nearly all times after leaving the Capitol, up to being arrested outside the LoC, he could have retrieved the gun from somewhere during that time. Maybe he left it in his car? Maybe he chickened out during the walk to the Capitol and ditched it in bushes somewhere? Then he went back and got it during the unstated period of time in which he was outside. Both of these stories basically say it's suspected he had a gun in the Capitol, not that it is known. That's all I'm saying. He probably did. We'll likely find out.

There's also fact that it sounds like his hotel room was searched for weapons, and turned up nothing, before the trip to the Capitol. And he left a suicidal note on social media before leaving to DC. So, maybe the first thing he did when he got to town was go hide his piece somewhere near the Library of Congress, because he thought someone might report him to authorities after he made that post.

I suppose I should also add that I'm down this road because something about this feels a little sketch to me, where the Capitol Police are made to look like fools literally the day after Trump pardons 1500 insurrectionist traitors.

electric_blue68

(22,672 posts)
33. While Not a gun, on my first WH visit I forgot to take one metal thing off, or out of my pocket and set the Alarm off...
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 05:21 PM
Jan 2025

I think it was a detector. Course, they had me step aside, and wanded me down. Found what it was. I was so embarrassed.

Mawspam2

(1,000 posts)
14. Perhaps the Capitol cop doing the patdown let him through as payback for 1/6/21.
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 02:56 PM
Jan 2025

That makes sense to me.

stillcool

(34,386 posts)
26. it's a shame you have to explain
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 04:10 PM
Jan 2025

so much about the article. I think it would be frustrating, but you are very kind...or I'm easily frustrated.

patphil

(8,111 posts)
27. A loaded gun in his waistband, magnetometer warning sounded, hand search. And he still gets through security?
Thu Jan 23, 2025, 04:16 PM
Jan 2025

How does that happen? Don't they use a hand held device to zero in on the reason the warning was sounded?
I think there needs to be a full review of security policies and practices covering any and all buildings in DC that have security checkpoints.
The cop who did the hand search after the warning sounded need to be put in a less sensitive location. Perhaps parking enforcement.

Igel

(37,023 posts)
35. Yeah, I thought that a really important bit of information.
Fri Jan 24, 2025, 09:23 PM
Jan 2025

For two reasons.

But the primary one being that if he was going to shoot the place up, waiting until after he left would demonstrate a seriously bad sense of timing.

#2 would be actually pressing charges against him unless they had proof he had it in his possession inside restricted space--unless the grounds he was on at the time also have restricted carry rights. (Don't know DC gun regs, barely know the TX ones.)

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