Man Arrested After Being Spotted with a Rifle in Park Near the U.S. Capitol

A man was arrested in Washington, D.C., after police found him carrying a rifle in a park near the U.S. Capitol, prompting a security response in the area.

The incident occurred on November 7, 2023, in a park across from Union Station. U.S. Capitol Police identified the man as Ahmir Lavon Merrell, 21, of Atlanta, Georgia.

According to authorities, officers responded after receiving reports of a man carrying a semiautomatic firearm. When officers approached and ordered him to stop, he did not comply, and an officer used a Taser to take him into custody. He was subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment.

Police temporarily secured the park and searched the area and the man’s belongings as a precaution. Officials said they had no reason at the time to believe there was an ongoing threat or that the man had a specific target.

Authorities said Merrell faced a preliminary charge related to possessing a firearm on Capitol grounds. The incident came just days after another firearms-related arrest near the Capitol, renewing attention to security around the complex.

Source: abcnews