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Philan-Tam-Duy Le arrested near U.S. Capitol with guillotine in truck
Philan-Tam-Duy Le, a 35-year-old resident of Julian, California, was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police on Tuesday after a guillotine was discovered in the bed of his pickup truck. The vehicle was found illegally parked along the 100 block of East Capitol Street, in close proximity to the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Capitol building.
Le was taken into custody on suspicion of carrying a dangerous weapon. Investigators are currently reviewing his background to determine his motives for driving from California to Washington, D.C. Social media posts linked to Le showed him near the FBI headquarters with the device, captioned “Guillotine adventures” and “Capitol Hill next.”
Le's brother, Kelvin Le, stated that the guillotine was intended as a “symbol of disapproval” regarding the current political climate, noting that Philan was dissatisfied with both Democratic and Republican leadership, as well as President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
The arrest occurs amid heightened security concerns, as Capitol Police reported a 57% increase in concerning communications and behaviors directed at members of Congress in 2025 compared to 2024.
Entities
Congress · Julian, California · Philan-Tam-Duy Le · Supreme Court of the United States · U.S. Capitol · U.S. Capitol Police · U.S. Supreme Court · United States Capitol · United States Capitol Police · Washington, D.C.
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The suspect, Philan-Tam-Duy Le, is 35 years old and a resident of Julian, California. www.winnipegfreepress.com · www.latimes.com
- [● 16 SOURCES] Philan-Tam-Duy Le was arrested for allegedly carrying a dangerous weapon. www.washingtonexaminer.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com · www.latimes.com · opslens.com · serbiantimes.info · +11 more
- [● 15 SOURCES] The truck was illegally parked near the U.S. Supreme Court building. www.washingtonexaminer.com · www.latimes.com · opslens.com · serbiantimes.info · offthepress.com · +10 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] A guillotine was seized from the bed of the suspect's pickup truck. www.washingtonexaminer.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com · www.latimes.com · opslens.com · serbiantimes.info · +11 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] The arrest occurred near the 100 block of East Capitol Street around 3 p.m. on Tuesday. www.washingtonexaminer.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com · www.latimes.com · opslens.com · serbiantimes.info · +11 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The suspect's brother stated the guillotine was a symbol of disapproval regarding politics. keyt.com · www.koutipandoras.gr · www.ntd.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Capitol Police responded to nearly 15,000 concerning communications against members of Congress in 2025. keyt.com · www.koutipandoras.gr