A D.C. intern with a gun was arrested on Capitol Hill Monday.
Joshua Wheeler, a 25-year-old from Atchison, Kansas, who is working for Republican Rep. Lynn Jenkins for the summer, was busted trying to bring an
unloaded gun to work, Reuters reported via Yahoo News.
Wheeler was arrested around 9 a.m. at the Longworth House Office Building, U.S. Capitol police spokeswoman Kimberly Schneider told Reuters.
According to Roll Call, Wheeler was charged with carrying a pistol without a license and for possession of an unregistered firearm.
Wheeler’s arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday in D.C. Superior Court, Roll Call noted.
The unloaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun was found by police during a security search as the D.C. intern entered the office building, according to Schneider.
“Mr. Wheeler used poor judgment and was immediately placed on temporary leave,”
Jenkins' spokesman Tom Brandt told The Hill. “It’s our understanding that this was an accident and we are in full cooperation with Capitol Police.”
Wheeler has been working for Jenkins since May 18.
A witness in the security line told Roll Call that Wheeler stood “off to the side, digging through his bag” prior to joining the line into the building. After going through the X-ray machine, he quickly grabbed his bag from the belt and walked to the elevator where he was stopped by one of the officers.
According to the eyewitness, Wheeler was cooperative with authorities.
Capitol police chief Kim C. Dine stressed to Roll Call the importance of the security searches and praised the House officers for doing their jobs well.
“These events today serve as a reminder to maintain our focus while we continue to perform our law enforcement and security mission at the highest levels on a daily basis,” Dine said. “I want to commend the two House Division officers for their diligence in conducting security screening — this type of diligence is critical and essential.”