An 18-year-old man was arrested by US Capitol Police after he allegedly ran toward the west front of the Capitol carrying a loaded shotgun, triggering a rapid response from officers.
Authorities said the case remains under investigation, including whether members of Congress were the intended targets. The arrest comes a week before President Donald Trump’s scheduled State of the Union address. However, officials stressed that security arrangements for the event remain unchanged.
Sequence of events
According to Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan, the suspect parked a Mercedes SUV near the Capitol and then exited the vehicle before running several hundred yards toward the building with a shotgun in hand.
Officers stationed nearby quickly confronted him, ordered him to drop the weapon and lie on the ground, and took him into custody without incident. No injuries were reported.
Police confirmed the shotgun was loaded and that the suspect was carrying additional ammunition. A tactical vest and gloves were recovered from him, while a Kevlar helmet and gas mask were found inside the SUV.
Authorities said they have obtained video footage of the incident and have urged members of the public to share any additional recordings that could assist investigators.
Suspect identified
The detainee has been identified as Carter Camacho, 18, of Smyrna, Georgia.
Police said he was not previously known to law enforcement and does not reside in the Washington area. Officials added that the SUV involved was not registered in his name and that he has multiple listed addresses.
Camacho faces several charges, including unlawful activities, carrying a rifle without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, and possession of unregistered ammunition, according to a Capitol Police statement.
Preparedness and past incidents
Chief Sullivan noted that officers had recently conducted active shooter drills in the same area where the suspect was apprehended, underscoring what he described as the department’s readiness.
“Who knows what would have happened if we hadn’t had officers standing here?” Sullivan said during a press briefing.
The Capitol has experienced similar security scares in recent years. In 2023, Capitol Police arrested a man from Atlanta who was armed with a rifle near a Senate park area.
Officials emphasized that Tuesday’s incident will not alter plans for the upcoming State of the Union address, which is subject to the highest level of security planning.
Broader security context
The episode comes amid ongoing discussions about crime and public safety in Washington, DC.
Authorities said crime in the city has declined significantly in 2026 compared with 2025, which itself saw a marked drop from the previous year. Last August, President Trump declared an emergency in the city to tackle crime, leading to the deployment of more than 2,000 National Guard members and additional federal law enforcement personnel, many of whom remain stationed across Washington.
In a separate recent incident, US Marshals fatally shot a Washington resident after responding to a report that the individual was allegedly threatening to kidnap and harm someone while armed.
That case is also under investigation, and local activists have called for greater transparency from officials.
