An 18-year-old man was arrested today after running from his car toward the U.S. Capitol. He was carrying a loaded shotgun but was intercepted by police.
An 18-year-old Georgia man wielding a loaded shotgun was arrested on the steps of the US Capitol Tuesday in a frightening incident coming just days before President Trump’s State of the Union address.
Carter Camacho of Smyrna, Georgia, was wearing a tactical vest and gloves and carrying additional rounds of ammunition as he ran “several hundred yards” from where he parked a white Mercedes-Benz SUV near the west side of the Capitol Building before he was apprehended, according to Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan.
“Capitol police officers observed this individual, challenged him and ordered him to drop the weapon and get on ground which he did comply with,” Sullivan said at a press conference. “He was then taken into custody.”
Capitol Police searched his car and found a gas mask and a kevlar helmet. Police pointed out that they'd held a drive for this exact situation last summer:
“Just last summer, we held an active threat exercise on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol – in the very location where today’s officers stopped the suspect,” said U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan. “These now routine exercises are planned monthly and in different areas of the Capitol Complex to keep our officers ready for potential threats just like this.”
The suspect, 18-year-old Carter Camacho of Smyrna, GA, was arrested for Unlawful Activities, Carrying a Rifle without a License, Unregistered Firearm, and Unregistered Ammunition.
Police also released photos of the arrest.
Here is a news release with the latest on our investigation: https://t.co/bfNkK5EQSq pic.twitter.com/3YCanoVkWY
— The U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) February 17, 2026
There was a brief press conference about the incident. A couple of reporters asked about a motive or a target and police would only say it was under investigation.
🚨 BREAKING: A man was arrested after approaching the U.S. Capitol with a loaded shotgun and a tactical vest.
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) February 17, 2026
No shots fired. No injuries.
He was taken into custody before anyone was hurt.
This is the reality of political extremism in America. pic.twitter.com/lxyibu6RO7
Obviously if he's running in that get up with a loaded shotgun he's probably not intending on a peaceful protest. What I don't understand is why he stopped and complied with officers. He must have been thinking about this plan for a while and he had the nerve (or insanity) to run toward the capitol with a loaded shotgun. That alone could have gotten him killed and he must have known that. And yet, it seems rather than shoot it out and end his life in a case of suicide by cop, he had second thoughts and decided jail was the better choice.
It has been more than 8 hours since Carter Camacho was arrested and still I don't see much of anything about him online. No one has dumped his social media accounts. Maybe we'll hear more about this tomorrow. Or maybe this guy wiped his accounts. We'll have to wait and see what police turn up.
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