Man Arrested in D.C. With Loaded Gun, Fake Inauguration Credentials
Written by SOURCE on January 17, 2021
U.S. Capitol Police have arrested a Virginia man who attempted to get past a security checkpoint with fake inauguration credentials, a loaded firearm, and 500 rounds of ammo.
According to CNN, Wesley Allen Beeler was taken into custody Friday night after he pulled up to a checkpoint near the Capitol building in Washington D.C. He allegedly provided officers with an “unauthorized inauguration credential” before he admitted to having a Glock semi-automatic pistol in his vehicle. Officers later discovered the Glock was loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition and a round chamber ready to fire. A Metropolitan Police Department report also states Beeler had 509 rounds of ammunition and 21 12-gauge shotgun shells.
The man was taken to the U.S. Capitol Police headquarters and charged with carrying a concealed weapon, possessing an unregistered firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device.
Law enforcement has tightened its security measures ahead of Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration, which will take place exactly two weeks after the deadly U.S. Capitol riots.
On Thursday, FBI Director Christopher Wray said the agency is preparing for the possibility of more right-wing violence and armed protests during Biden’s swearing-in ceremony.
“We are seeing an extensive amount of concerning online chatter, I guess that’s the best way I would describe it, about a number of events surrounding the inauguration,” Wray said at a FEMA event. “And together with our partners, we evaluate those threats and what kind of resources to deploy against them. Right now, we are tracking calls for potential armed protest and activity leading up to the inauguration.”
