The one-year anniversary of the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6 is just days away. The consensus is vast progress in congressional security and procedures to safeguard the most sacred hall in American democracy.
A few weeks ago, the Capitol community was surprised when a congressional staffer managed to carry a loaded gun into the Longworth House Office Building. The incident went undetected for several minutes. It also came on the same morning that late Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kan., was to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. President Biden and several other dignitaries came to the Capitol that morning for Dole’s services.
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Police charged congressional staffer Jeffrey Allsbrooks with possession of an unregistered firearm and possession of unregistered ammunition – after they eventually found him. It doesn’t seem that Allsbrooks had bad intent with his firearm. He just had it in his bag and overlooked it was there. It is forbidden to carry guns into the Capitol building.
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Allsbrooks was allowed to be in the Longworth Building. He works there on Capitol Hill. Allsbrooks passed through security at 7:40 a.m. on December 9. He placed his bag on a conveyor belt for an X-ray machine and then recovered his belongings. U.S. Capitol Police officers, guarding the door through which Allsbrooks entered, failed to notice the firearm on the X-ray image for several minutes.
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Once they did, police locked down the Longworth Building, ordering those inside to shelter in place. It took officers several more minutes to track down Allsbrooks as they canvassed the building. Once they located Allsbrooks, police checked the bag again. That’s when they discovered Allsbrooks carried with him a Glock 19 9mm handgun.
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Police apprehended Allsbrooks at 8:27 that morning.
U.S. Capitol Police originally said it took four minutes to find Allsbrooks. USCP later said it was closer to 12 minutes. Police are investigating the matter. They’re also investigating why officers did not see the image of the gun on the X-ray screen when they cleared Allsbrooks to enter Longworth at 7:40 am.
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There have been numerous episodes like this over the years on Capitol Hill. It’s kind of surprising how many similar incidents have happened.
A military fellow working in a House office inadvertently tried to bring a gun into the Rayburn House Office Garage after forgetting it was in the trunk of his car several years ago.