The U.S. Capitol Police on Monday arrested a man who was carrying banned weapons, including a bayonet and a machete, outside the Democratic National Committee headquarters.
Capitol Police confirmed in a press release that 44-year-old Donald Craighead of Oceanside, California has been charged with possession of prohibited weapons.
Around midnight on Monday, a patrolling officer spotted Craighead driving a Dodge Dakota pickup truck scrawled with a swastika and other white supremacist symbols.
After pulling Craighead over for not having a license plate, police noticed a bayonet and machete, which are illegal in Washington, D.C., inside the truck. According to authorities, Craighead said he was “on patrol” and began talking about white supremacist ideology.
“This is good police work plain and simple,” Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said in a statement. “We applaud the officers’ keen observation and the teamwork that resulted in this arrest.”
Operational Services Bureau Deputy Chief Jason Bell added, “This is an excellent example of the work our officers do every day. We are so proud of these officers for their vigilance.”
Capitol Police said their Investigations Division is continuing an investigation on the suspect.
