An armed man was arrested near the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday (Jan. 27), CNN reported.
According to a spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police Department, 71-year-old Dennis Westover of West Virginia was detained outside the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial moments after a Capitol Police officer noticed he parked his vehicle in the middle of an intersection. He reportedly walked over and started yelling at guardsmen in an attempt “to see the fence that was around my Capitol.” The armed man was caught with two handguns, 20 rounds of unregistered ammunition and “Stop the Steal paperwork” that detailed contact information for members in both the Congress and West Virginia state house.
Westover’s arrest comes after Trump supporters marched from a rally at the National Mall to the U.S. Capitol, where the violent insurrection occurred with hopes to contest President Joe Biden’s election win and violently demand a recount of the ballots.
The armed man admitted that, much like the rioters, he questioned “the honesty and integrity of the election” and was in the process of seeking “righteousness, justice and truth.”
A prosecutor in the case is pushing for Westover — who he believes is a “threat to safety”—to remain in jail until his next court appearance in July.
“Given the statements within the [affidavit], as well as recent events within the district that the court is well aware of, we do think there is reasonable concern for the safety of the community with other release restrictions,” he said. A judge, however, disagreed with the statement, ruling that Westover’s statements are not threats but “points of view.”
As a result, the judge said Westover may be freed from custody soon. Upon his potential release, he will be required to stay out of the nation’s capital, aside from any scheduled court-related dates and meetings in the area.