Washington: An 18-year-old man who approached the U.S. Capitol with a loaded shotgun on Tuesday was arrested, said U.S. Capitol Police. "Our officers just arrested a person with what appears to be a gun near the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Building. Please avoid the area," U.S. Capitol Police said on social media platform X.

According to Namibia Press Agency, in a statement released later, it was revealed that officers surrounded and arrested a man who ran toward the U.S. Capitol with a "loaded shotgun" shortly after noon on Tuesday, on the Lower West Terrace. The suspect also had "multiple rounds of ammunition" and a tactical style vest.

The incident comes amid a rise in threats against members of Congress. Last year, the U.S. Capitol Police opened 14,938 cases into "concerning statements, behaviors, and communications" directed at congressional offices and family members in 2025, marking a nearly 60 percent increase from 2024, said a report by Axios.