AU.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was arrested for carrying a gun at this past weekend’s “J6 for Justice” rally on Capitol Hill but will not be prosecuted, according to authorities.
The unnamed, 27-year-old New Jersey male was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police for illegally possessing a gun on the grounds of the Capitol after people in the crowd reported seeing him with a handgun and notified nearby officers, according to the Associated Press.
The rally was to support the hundreds charged with crimes in connection with the Jan. Capitol Hill riot.
Law enforcement agencies throughout Washington, D.C., were prepared for a possible repeat Saturday — with the city’s entire municipal police force on duty, the perimeter fence around the Capitol complex erected again and the National Guard on standby.
However, just four arrests were reported, including the one involving the federal officer.
Generally, under federal law, law enforcement officers are given reciprocity to legally carry their weapons in other states, even those with restrictive gun laws. But the law has an exemption for government property or military bases where it is illegal to carry a gun, like the U.S. Capitol, the wire service also reports.
A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington said prosecutors were “not moving forward with charges” but provided no additional information about the decision.
Two law enforcement officials, who could not discuss the matter publicly, told the wire service the officer was not at the rally in an official capacity
The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general was also notified of his arrest.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it was aware of the arrest and was “fully cooperating with the investigation,” the Associated Press also reports.
