California man arrested near U.S. Capitol with 10-foot guillotine

Philan-Tam-Duy Le, a 35-year-old man from Julian, California, was arrested near the U.S. Capitol after U.S. Capitol Police discovered a 10-foot-tall guillotine in the bed of his illegally parked pickup truck.

The device, which featured a sharpened metal blade, was found along East Capitol Street near the U.S. Supreme Court and the Library of Congress. Le reportedly told officers the device was “the real deal.” While initially arrested for carrying a dangerous weapon, prosecutors later filed a misdemeanor charge of attempted possession of a prohibited weapon.

A D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge ordered Le's release pending a September hearing, noting that he had been cooperative and had not threatened anyone or acted aggressively. Investigators are still working to determine why Le drove over 2,500 miles to Washington, D.C. Le stated he had no specific reason for being in the area and no issues with members of Congress. His brother suggested the device might have been intended as a “symbol of disapproval,” noting Le's dissatisfaction with various political figures.