The United States Capitol Police announced this Friday the arrest of a man in Washington DC in the morning hours after being found with a false Interpol badge, as well as a bulletproof vest, ammunition that included magazines of capacity and a BB gun.
The subject identified as Jerome Felipe, from Flint, Michigan, who is a retired New York police officer, was detained by authorities near 5: 00 am, after parking his Dodge Charger 2017 near the legislative building, Capitol Police said in a statement.
Prior to his arrest, an officer started talking to Felipe , aged 53 years old, and when he asked for his identification, he gave him a false badge that said “Interpol Department.”
Felipe allowed the officers to search his vehicle. At that time they found a compressed air pistol, two ballistic vests, high-capacity magazines and other types of ammunition. However, no real firearms were found.
Investigators are still working to determine the reason why Felipe parked his vehicle near the Capitol, the police said.
The detainee is currently facing charges of illegal possession of high-capacity magazines and unregistered ammunition. The police did not say the exact place where Felipe was parked.
This recent incident is part of an increase in possible threats and attacks on the building since 2021, Daily Mail reported.
Tom Manger , chief of the Capitol Police, declared in 2021 that in that year there were 9,000 threats against members of Congress.
Similarly, it arises after President Joe Biden addressed the country asking the Senate for greater gun control in the wake of the recent mass shootings that have rocked the nation like in Buffalo, Uvalde and Tulsa.
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