Capitol Police say it took 12 minutes to arrest suspected armed staffer
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The United States Capitol Police (USCP) said Friday it took more time than initially believed to track down and arrest a staffer suspected of bringing a handgun into the Longworth House Office Building.
Why it matters: The incident, which occurred hours before President Biden and Vice President Harris arrived at the Capitol for a memorial ceremony, has renewed scrutiny of the Capitol's security flaws nearly a year after the Jan. 6 attack.
What they're saying: The USCP investigation revealed that while it took roughly four minutes to lock down Longworth, an additional eight minutes passed "until the suspect was stopped by officers," the department said in a statement.
- The staffer, Jeffrey Allsbrooks, a logistics manager for the House Chief Administrative Office, was initially charged with possession of an unregistered firearm but now faces three additional charges.
- Allsbrooks pleaded not guilty in Virginia court on Friday, according to NBC.
- USCP had said in a statement put out shortly after the arrest that after officers spotted an image of a handgun in Allsbrooks' bag on an X-ray screen, he "was tracked down four minutes later and arrested."
- Among the new charges is possession of unlicensed ammunition and possession of a "large capacity ammunition feeding device," which is a gun magazine that holds more than 10 rounds.
What's next: Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), the chair of the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Capitol Police, told Axios on Thursday the incident will likely be a part of a hearing into the state of the department.
- Capitol Police stressed in their statement on Friday that “this remains an active investigation.”
Editor's note: The headline and story have been corrected to reflect a clarification from Capitol Police that it took 12 total minutes to arrest the suspect, not eight.
