18-year-old charges US Capitol with loaded shotgun

CCCarter Camacho parked a white Mercedes SUV near the Capitol around 11:07 a.m. on February 17, 2026, a federal holiday when Congress was on Presidents Day recess

He exited the vehicle wearing a tactical vest, tactical gloves, and camouflage clothing, then ran several hundred yards toward the building while openly carrying a combat-style shotgun

Capitol Police officers stationed on the West Front confronted him and ordered him to drop the weapon He complied, laid the gun down, then lay face-down on the ground.

The shotgun was loaded with seven rounds in the tube magazine and one in the chamber, with the safety switch off

An additional 17 rounds of ammunition were attached to a carrier on the stock of the weapon, giving Camacho immediate access to 25 total rounds

Investigators also recovered a fixed-blade knife about 40 feet from his car along the path he ran toward the Capitol A Kevlar helmet and gas mask were found inside his vehicle.

Camacho told Capitol Police officers he came to the Capitol because he wanted to talk to a Member of Congress

Prosecutors have not identified which member or described any political motive

The criminal complaint does not shed further light on his intentions Investigators from multiple federal agencies are still probing his background and searching for any connections to extremist groups or online radicalization.

Federal prosecutors charged Camacho with unlawful possession of a firearm on Capitol grounds under 40 USC 5104, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. 🏛️DC authorities added charges for carrying a rifle without a license, possessing an unregistered firearm, and possessing unregistered ammunition. DC requires all firearms to be registered with the Metropolitan Police Department, and open carry of rifles is banned without a license that DC effectively does not issue to non-residents.

Under federal law, licensed firearms dealers can sell shotguns to anyone 18 or older. 🍑Georgia, where Camacho lived, has no minimum age requirement to possess a long gun like a shotgun, and Governor BKBrian Kemp signed a Constitutional Carry law in 2022 removing the state permit requirement for carrying firearms in public for those 21 and older. For 18-year-olds not in the military, Georgia still restricts public carry of handguns, but long gun possession faces no state-level age floor.

Capitol Police investigated a record 14,938 threat assessment cases against members of Congress, their families, and staff in 2025, a 58% jump from 9,474 cases in 2024. That number has climbed for three consecutive years, up from 8,008 in 2023 and 7,501 in 2022. The department tripled its formal agreements with local law enforcement partners, growing from about 115 agencies to more than 350 nationwide, and Special Assistant US Attorneys consulted on 875 cases and processed 1,705 subpoenas in 2025.

Chief MSMichael Sullivan said Capitol Police conduct monthly active shooter exercises, including one on the West Front of the Capitol just months before the Camacho arrest, in virtually the same location. Sullivan told reporters the incident does not change the department security posture ahead of the State of the Union address. He noted that the suspect was not previously known to Capitol Police intelligence or threat assessment operations.

The arrest took place on the West Front, the same side of the Capitol where the inauguration platform stands and where some of the most violent clashes occurred during the January 6, 2021 attack. Since January 6, Capitol Police have implemented over 100 security improvements including new surveillance technology on loan from the Department of Defense, additional protective equipment like helmets and shields, and better intelligence-sharing protocols with federal and state agencies. A 2022 GAO report and inspector general review found the department had not adopted enough of the recommended reforms.