Sep 13, 2021 - Politics & Policy

U.S. Capitol Police arrest man with machete, bayonet near DNC headquarters

Yacob Reyes

A photo released by U.S. Capitol Police shows a truck belonging to a California man arrested in Washington, D.C. — Photo: U.S. Capitol Police

The U.S. Capitol Police said Monday it arrested a California man armed with multiple knives outside the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington.

The big picture: The arrest occurred just days before a Sept. 18 rally planned in support of individuals arrested for storming the Capitol on Jan. 6. The USCP said it is "closely monitoring" the event, which is known as "Justice for J6."

Details: The USCP said in a press release that an officer, while on patrol, spotted a pickup truck with "white supremacist symbols" painted on it. The truck did not have a license plate and was pulled over near DNC headquarters.

The driver, identified as 44-year-old Donald Craighead, allegedly told officers that he was "on patrol" and spoke of "white supremacist ideology," per the USCP.
The officers said they spotted a machete and bayonet, which are both illegal in D.C.
The USCP also said that "it is not clear if he was planning to attend any upcoming demonstrations or if he has ties to any previous cases in the area."

Flashback: In August, a man who claimed to have a bomb was arrested near the Capitol. The suspect warned of a "revolution" in a video broadcast on Facebook and expressed hostility toward President Biden.

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U.S. Capitol Police arrest man with machete, bayonet near DNC headquarters

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