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Police in Washington, D.C., arrested a Southern California man after they said they found a large guillotine in the bed of his pickup truck parked outside the U.S. Capitol.
Philan-Tam-Duy Le, 35, of Julian, was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon for possessing the execution device, according to a news release about the Aug. 25 incident from U.S. Capitol Police.
The guillotine was spotted about 3 p.m. ET in the bed of a pickup truck “illegally parked” outside the Capitol building across from the U.S. Supreme Court, police reported.
Police said the suspect drove to the city from California, and investigators were combing through Le’s background to try to learn why he had the device.
At the time of the incident, U.S. Congress was in recess.
History of the guillotine
The guillotine was invented in France in 1792, according to Britannica, and during the French Revolution “became the primary symbol of the Reign of Terror and was used to execute thousands of people” by decapitation. Among those executed was King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
It was last used in France in 1977 as previously reported by USA TODAY. Capital punishment was banned in the European country in 1981.
‘Symbol of disapproval’
The suspect’s brother, Kelvin Le, told the Los Angeles Times that the truck belonged to his brother, that he was surprised to learn of his arrest, and that the guillotine was likely a “symbol of disapproval.”
He also told the outlet his brother “was unhappy with the state of politics” and disliked President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. He added that he did not think his brother would hurt anyone.
Le remained in custody the morning of Aug. 26 and was expected to appear in Superior Court on the charge, the D.C. Department of Corrections told USA TODAY.
It was not immediately known whether Le had obtained an attorney.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.