A Virginia man has been arrested for allegedly trying to enter through a Washington DC checkpoint armed with a gun, 500 rounds of ammunition and fake credentials, according to a report.
Wesley Allen Beeler, from Front Royal, Virginia, was arrested Friday evening as he tried to make his way through security checkpoints in downtown DC that have been erected ahead of Joe Biden‘s inauguration, CNN reported.
The outlet cited a police report and a law enforcement source which said Beeler drove his pick-up truck to a police checkpoint at North Capitol and E Street NE close to the Capitol just after 6:30 p.m. Friday.
He tried to get passed cops by flashing the fraudulent inauguration documents but was stopped.
Police later found the firearm and ammunition in his vehicle.
The close call comes just one week after the Capitol became the site of a violent siege that left five dead and as unprecedented levels of protection have been set up to prevent a future attack on inauguration day.
Beeler allegedly arrived at the checkpoint and showed officers his fake inauguration credentials in an effort to get inside the perimeter.
Officers asked the suspect if he had any weapons and he admitted he was carrying a Glock semi-automatic pistol in the armrest of his truck, CNN reported.
Police uncovered the handgun and found it was pre-loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition and a round chamber ready to fire, the source said.
A police report seen by the outlet states that officers found the pistol, 509 rounds of ammunition, shotgun shells and a handgun magazine.
It is not clear what Beeler was planning to do once inside the secured perimeter.
Beeler was arrested for several offenses including possessing an unregistered firearm and possessing unregistered ammunition.
The latest attempt to breach the Capitol comes amid concerns of ‘major security threats’ at Biden’s inauguration on January 20.
Washington DC has gone into lockdown and several blocks around the Capitol have been cordoned off to prevent a repeat of the chaos seen on January 6 when Trump supporters stormed the seat of American democracy.
A Baghdad-style ‘Green Zone’ perimeter has been set up and more than 20,000 armed National Guard troops have been mobilized.
The Secret Service released its restricted access plan, which includes what the agency is calling a ‘Green Zone’ in the heart of DC.
The term ‘Green Zone’ was the same name given to the heavily-fortified area in Baghdad during the Iraq War.
Most of downtown DC is now off-limits to traffic and has already drawn comparisons to Baghdad’s high-security zone.
In extraordinary scenes out of the capital, thousands of armed military members are patrolling the streets and anti-climb steel fences and road blocks continue to be installed in the wake of last week’s deadly siege.
Credit: CCN/Daily Mail
