A California man who drove to Washington, D.C., with a 10-foot wooden guillotine mounted on his pickup truck was arrested near the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, according to court documents. The suspect, 35-year-old Philan-Tam-Duy Le, told police the device was fully operational, boasting, “Yeah, it’s the real deal man.”
The arrest affidavit, filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, states that U.S. Capitol Police officers observed a black Toyota Tacoma illegally parked in a Library of Congress permit-only spot on East Capitol Street SE. The vehicle was positioned near the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and the Library of Congress, prompting immediate concern.
Officers noted the guillotine’s metal blade appeared sharpened at an angle, which was confirmed when one officer tapped on it. The weapon was described as approximately 10 feet tall, mounted on a wooden platform in the truck bed.
Le, who hails from Julian, California—a town about 60 miles northeast of San Diego—told police he had driven cross-country to the nation’s capital. During questioning, he claimed he was not near the Capitol “for any specific reason” and said he held no animosity toward individual members of Congress.
He also mentioned he possessed a California concealed carry permit and owned a Springfield XD-M handgun, but when asked where the firearm was, he replied, “Oh, it’s not here.” A canine unit swept the truck for explosives or firearms, but the search turned up nothing, and background checks found no outstanding warrants.
Le was arrested on a single count of carrying a dangerous weapon. Federal prosecutors argued that he should remain in custody at the D.C. Department of Corrections’ Central Cell Block, but Magistrate Judge Robert Hildum ordered his release ahead of the next hearing. “He didn’t even threaten anyone,” Hildum said, according to The Washington Post.
The truck was towed to a processing facility in southeast D.C. Capitol Police said investigators are examining Le’s background to determine why he traveled to Washington. The incident comes amid heightened security concerns around the Capitol, where recent court-martial proceedings have highlighted ongoing tensions from the January 6 attack.
The case also raises questions about the adequacy of current threat assessment protocols, especially as lawmakers debate funding for security measures and the potential for political violence. The judge’s decision to release Le without conditions has drawn criticism from some legal observers, who point to the symbolic nature of the guillotine as a threat to democratic institutions.
Le is scheduled to appear in court again later this month. Meanwhile, authorities continue to investigate whether the guillotine was intended as a political statement or an act of intimidation.
