The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) said in a statement Thursday that a man with a gun entered the Capitol even after officers conducted a hand search.
incident occurred Tuesday, January 21st, the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration.
According to a press release from the USCP, authorities took “observation of a man who had reported mental health issues and suicidal thoughts and was believed to be armed and in the area.”
“Around 1:15 p.m., USCP officers spotted a man's vehicle on First Street near East Capitol Street, Nebraska. Officers searched the area and discovered the man had recently been to the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). ) and took a tour of the Capitol,” authorities said, adding that the suspect was found at the Library of Congress around 2:15 p.m. ET. We took the tour and walked to his car.
“He was stopped, searched, and arrested. A small 9mm handgun was found concealed in his waistband,” the press release said, adding that the man was a 27-year-old Massachusetts resident. He has been identified as James A. Faber, 2016.
Perhaps most surprising was the USPC's confirmation that Faber was allowed access to the South CVC checkpoint. Indeed, the magnetometer went off, forcing the police to fumble with it. This – apparently – did not lead to the discovery of the man's weapon. The police officer was subsequently suspended.
According to the press release [emphasis added]:
USCP security video showed the man entering through the South CVC checkpoint. After the magnetometer went off, officers conducted a secondary search and the man was taken into the building. The officer has been suspended while the USCP's Office of Professional Responsibility conducts an administrative investigation into his search performance. At this time, there is no indication that this man came to harm Congress. Fortunately no one was hurt. USCP requires the highest standards when it comes to visitor screening, so a complete review of this incident and mandatory re-education on security screening have already been ordered to ensure it never happens again.
Faber was arrested on charges of criminal mischief, possession of an unlicensed pistol, possession of an unregistered firearm, illegal possession of ammunition and resisting arrest, according to a press release.
The news comes months after the first assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, which prompted intense questioning and additional scrutiny of the activities of not just the U.S. Secret Service but the agency as a whole.
