California Man Arrested Near US Capitol with Guillotine in Truck

A California man was arrested on Tuesday after US Capitol Police found a guillotine in the back of his pickup truck near the US Capitol and the Supreme Court Building. Philan-Tam-Duy Le, 35, from Julian, California, had parked illegally along the 100 block of East Capitol Street shortly after 3 p.m. Officers discovered the guillotine in the truck bed and seized the device, leading to Le's arrest on a charge of carrying a dangerous weapon. He was also cited for illegal parking next to the Supreme Court grounds. Investigators are looking into Le's background and the reasons for his visit to Washington, DC, with the execution device. The guillotine, a historical instrument designed for beheading, was fully assembled and standing upright in the truck bed. While owning a guillotine on private property is generally not illegal, bringing it into protected government areas violates federal and local security regulations. Le remains under investigation as authorities seek to understand the intent behind his actions.