Skip to content

Capitol Police arrest man who had knife and machete

Agency says there is no evidence he was targeting a member of Congress

Capitol Police seen on the East Front plaza of the Capitol in 2022.
Capitol Police seen on the East Front plaza of the Capitol in 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Capitol Police arrested a man Tuesday afternoon who was carrying a machete and a knife on the East Front of the Capitol building but have no evidence he was targeting a member of Congress, the agency said.

An officer noticed Jose Leonardo Marquez, 23, who has no fixed address, pacing back and forth and then sitting down on a ledge at about 4:15 p.m., the Capitol Police said in a news release.

The officer spoke with Marquez and noticed a brick in his pocket, which the man tossed to the side on the officer’s request, the agency said.

The man also pulled out a knife and placed it on the ledge, and the officer called for backup and secured the knife, the agency said.

The officer then noticed the handle of a machete under Marquez’s clothing, the agency said. The officer drew his service weapon and ordered the man to put his hands up.

Marquez complied and officers were able to safely take the machete away from him and arrest him, the agency said.

Marquez was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon and possession of a prohibited weapon, the agency said.

The agency said it continues to investigate, but at this time does not know why Marquez was in Washington.

Recent Stories

Justice Department expands where it will monitor on Election Day

GOP centers election concerns on noncitizen voting, but it’s rare

Boozman, Klobuchar lined up to follow Stabenow on Agriculture

Awkward abound: Joe Biden and the lame-duck countdown

Ratings changes: What we do and don’t know about the fight for Congress

Trump advocates ‘nine barrels shooting at’ Liz Cheney