Investigators seek motive after Georgia man allegedly ran toward Capitol with loaded shotgun

Investigators are moving to find wherefore an 18-year-old Georgia antheral allegedly ran toward the West Front of the U.S. Capitol equipped with a loaded shotgun Tuesday, prompting a swift effect from U.S. Capitol Police.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan said the incidental unfolded conscionable earlier noon erstwhile Carter Camacho of Smyrna, Georgia, parked a Mercedes SUV adjacent the Capitol, exited the conveyance and ran "several 100 yards" toward the gathering carrying a loaded shotgun and further rounds of ammunition.

Officers intercepted Camacho, ordered him to driblet the limb and get connected the ground, and took him into custody without incident, Sullivan said.

Authorities said Camacho was wearing a tactical vest and tactical gloves. A Kevlar helmet and state disguise were recovered from the SUV, on with aggregate rounds of ammunition.

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Police place Carter Camacho of Smyrna, GA arsenic equipped idiosyncratic arrested earlier astatine the US Capitol successful Washington, DC connected Tuesday, February 17, 2026.  (USCP)

The country extracurricular the Capitol was aboriginal cleared and reopened. Police said determination did not look to beryllium immoderate further suspects oregon an ongoing threat.

The U.S. Capitol Police’s (USCP) Threat Assessment Section is present investigating Camacho’s motive, including whether members of Congress whitethorn person been an intended target, Sullivan said. Congress was not successful league astatine the clip of the incident. Officials said Camacho was not antecedently known to the agency.

Sullivan said the section has video footage of the incidental and asked members of the nationalist to supply immoderate further recordings.

Police place Carter Camacho of Smyrna, GA arsenic equipped idiosyncratic arrested earlier astatine the US Capitol successful Washington, DC connected Tuesday, February 17, 2026.  (USCP)

"Just past summer, we held an progressive menace workout connected the West Front of the U.S. Capitol – successful the precise determination wherever today’s officers stopped the suspect," Sullivan said successful a quality release. "These present regular exercises are planned monthly and successful antithetic areas of the Capitol Complex to support our officers acceptable for imaginable threats conscionable similar this."

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Sullivan reiterated during a quality league that Capitol Police behaviour progressive shooter drills each month, including 1 successful astir the aforesaid determination successful caller months.

"We bash those progressive shooter exercises each azygous month, and that's wherefore we bash it," helium said. "Who knows what could person happened if we didn't person officers present lasting defender similar they bash each azygous day."

Authorities are seen looking into a conveyance connected Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, extracurricular the U.S. Capitol Building. (Fox News)

Camacho was arrested connected charges including unlawful activities, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm and possession of unregistered ammunition, according to Capitol Police. He is not from the Washington area, Sullivan said, adding that the conveyance progressive was not registered successful the suspect’s sanction and that helium has aggregate listed addresses.

The apprehension comes 1 week earlier President Donald Trump is scheduled to present the State of the Union code earlier Congress. Sullivan said the incidental does not change information readying for the event. 

"We instrumentality the State of the Union very, precise seriously," helium said.

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There person been different information incidents astatine the Capitol successful caller years, including a 2023 apprehension of an equipped antheral adjacent the Senate.

Fox News Digital's Greg Norman-Diamond, Tyler Olson, Alexandra Koch, Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.