US Capitol Police arrest teen who 'ran towards building with shotgun and tactical gear'
The assailant "ran several hundred yards" before he was intercepted by Capitol Police officers who ordered him to drop to the ground
An 18-year-old man has been arrested after sprinting towards the US Capitol Building armed with a shotgun on Tuesday.
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The unidentified armed man reportedly ran from his Mercedes SUV towards the west side of the building while clad in "tactical gear".
The assailant "ran several hundred yards" before he was intercepted by Capitol Police officers who ordered him to drop to the ground.
Capital Police Chief Michael Sullivan said the man was wearing a vest and gloves and had a Kevlar helmet and gas mask in his vehicle.
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The shotgun was loaded, and a search found additional rounds on his person, the chief said.
The motive for the apparent assault is under investigation, including whether members of Congress were the target, Mr Sullivan said.
The US Congress is not currently in session.
The latest attempt to attack the seat of the US legislature comes after the infamous riot at the building on January 6, 2021.
The January 6 assault came after a prolonged campaign from Donald Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential election he lost to Joe Biden.
His supporters descended upon the building and surged past Capitol Police officers which Congress was meeting to certify the results of the election.
The riot saw four Trump supporters die: one who was shot by police, another who suffered a drug overdose, and two who died from natural causes.
In addition, five police officers from the building's in-house force died at or in the wake of the riot.