US Capitol Police have arrested a 35-year-old California man after officers discovered a full-scale wooden guillotine in the back of his illegally parked pickup truck near the heart of Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

The suspect, identified as Philan-Tam-Duy Le of Julian, California, was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon after his vehicle was spotted on Tuesday afternoon along the 100 block of East Capitol Street — a main road running through Capitol Hill — shortly after 3:00 pm local time. Images released by Capitol Police on its website and social media show what appears to be a life-size wooden guillotine mounted in the bed of a stationary pickup truck. It remains unclear whether the device was operational.

Le had driven from California to the US capital, a journey of roughly 2,700 miles (4,350 km). His precise motives are still under investigation. Capitol Police said officers are reviewing his background to better understand why he made the trip. The truck was parked in close proximity to the US Capitol building and the Supreme Court, both of which are currently in recess.

The incident has drawn attention given the politically charged atmosphere in Washington. A guillotine — the blade-fitted execution device most closely associated with the French Revolution — carries unmistakable symbolic weight as an instrument of political violence and retribution, and its presence near the seat of the US legislature is being treated seriously by authorities. No additional threats have been reported in connection with the arrest.

Capitol Hill, the elevated area of central Washington where Congress sits, has been the focus of heightened security measures in recent years following a series of high-profile security breaches. The arrest underscores ongoing concerns about threats directed at federal institutions, even during legislative recesses when lawmakers are not in session.