Become an exclusive Member
News

Capitol Police Stop Arson Incident During Trump Visit, Hours After Thwarted Machete Attack

Charlie Kirk Staff

01/09/2025

Link
Capitol Police Stop Arson Incident During Trump Visit, Hours After Thwarted Machete Attack

A Virginia man was taken into custody by the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) late Wednesday after attempting to set his car on fire near the Capitol building while President-elect Donald Trump was visiting.

“Twice today our officers stopped a man who could have been a danger to the Capitol Hill community,” said U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger, Fox News reports. “This vigilance is critical during this time of heightened security.”

The USCP reported that the incident occurred as Trump was meeting with Republican senators and paying respects to President Carter. Around 5:30 p.m., officers were alerted to a vehicle parked on First Street, NW, near the Grant Memorial. The driver had reportedly lit a bag on fire atop the car.

Officers approached the scene, but the fire extinguished itself before they arrived. As a precaution, the USCP declared the vehicle suspicious and called in its Hazardous Incident Response Division, which eventually cleared the vehicle of any immediate threat by approximately 7 p.m.

The vehicle, which had been spray-painted, was found to contain accelerants in the extinguished bag. The driver was arrested on charges of unlawful activities.

Earlier in the day, USCP officers also detained a man attempting to bring a machete into the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC).

The Capitol Police stated that this incident occurred just after 2 p.m. when officers at the CVC’s north doors noticed the weapon inside a bag being scanned through an X-ray machine. The suspect, identified as 44-year-old Mel J. Horne of Washington, D.C., was arrested for carrying a dangerous weapon.

Authorities said Horne faces multiple charges and will be interviewed by investigators to determine his motives.

SupportSupport

Support our team today as we work to preserve America’s freedoms for another generation.

SUPPORT OUR MISSIONSUPPORT OUR MISSION
Charlie Kirk is the Founder and President of Turning Point USA, a national student movement dedicated to empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets and limited government.

Charlie is also the host of “The Charlie Kirk Show” podcast, which regularly ranks among the top-10 news shows on Apple podcast news charts, and is the host of the nationally syndicated daily radio show on the Salem Radio Network live from 12 - 3 PM ET.
Sign Up for EmailsSign Up for Emails

© Copyright 2025 . All rights reserved