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A House of Representatives aide was arrested in a Capitol Hill office building Thursday after he raised alarms by managing to get a bag with a handgun in it through security screening.
According to US Capitol Police, officers in the Longworth House Office Building spotted the gun on an X-ray screen at 7:40 a.m. The discovery forced officials to send out a security alert telling staffers in the building to go into lockdown.
“Close, lock and stay away from external doors and windows,” the alert read in part. “If you are in a quiet space, find a place to hide or seek cover. Remain quiet and silence electronics.”
Capitol Police said officers tracked down the bag’s owner, identified as 57-year-old Jeffrey Allsbrooks, four minutes after they saw the gun on the screen. According to the statement, Allsbrooks told officers he had forgotten that the gun was in his bag.
Allsbrooks, a staffer with the Office of the House Chief Administrative Officer, was arrested and will be charged with one count of carrying a pistol without a license. Capitol Police said the department is investigating the matter and is looking at “what happened before, during and after those four minutes” between officers spotting the gun and Allsbrooks’ arrest.
Thursday’s incident is the latest security breach to set Capitol Hill on edge since the Jan. 6 riot by supporters of President Donald Trump that led to the deaths of five people.
On Tuesday, the Capitol Police inspector general told Senate lawmakers that the department has not yet made dozens of needed changes in the aftermath of the riot. Michael Bolton also revealed under questioning from senators that “around 200” Capitol officers have left the force since the Jan. 6 violence.
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