Topline
A California man was arrested in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday after police found a guillotine on the back of a truck parked near the U.S. Capitol, in an incident that comes amid concerns about growing threats to lawmakers and other high-profile Secret Service protectees.
Key Facts
In a statement, the U.S. Capitol Police said its officers “seized a guillotine” that was spotted on the bed of a pickup truck along the 100 block of East Capitol Street.
Shortly after this, police arrested Philan-Tam-Duy Le, a 35-year-old from Julian, California, “for carrying a dangerous weapon for being in possession of the guillotine.”
A guillotine is a large apparatus that is used to behead people by dropping a large, heavy blade on their neck while they are restrained—a form of execution that is most associated with the French Revolution.
According to Capitol Police, the suspect drove the truck all the way from California, and they are examining his background to determine why he came to Washington, D.C.
The police statement included photos showing both the truck and the very large wooden-frame guillotine mounted on the truck bed.
What Do We Know About Growing Threats to Lawmakers?
In a report published in January, the U.S. Capitol Police reported that the number of threats against lawmakers rose for the third consecutive year in 2025. The agency said it opened 14,938 cases into “concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against Members of Congress, their families, staff, and the Capitol Complex” last year. This is a major increase from 9,474 such cases in 2024 and 8,008 in 2023.
tangent
Aside from the Capitol Police, the Secret Service has also warned that threats against protectees have been “off the charts” and the agency is operating under a “heightened level of threat environment right now.” Last month, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the agency has initiated more than 10,000 investigations into threats against people the agency has been assigned to protect. This marked a 40% increase compared to the same period in 2025 and the agency also noted that mental health-related interventions are 10 times higher this year.
further reading
Secret Service Reports 40% Jump In Threat Cases This Year (Forbes)