U.S. Capitol Police announced the arrest of a suspected law enforcement impersonator Tuesday who was found carrying a stash of knives and had a smoke grenade and a chainsaw blade in his vehicle outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
At 6:20 p.m. EST Monday, a Capitol Police officer noticed a man wanted for questioning by the U.S. Secret Service near the corner of 3rd Street and Madison Drive Northwest, just west of the U.S. Capitol grounds, according to a press release.
When police stopped the suspect, they said, they found multiple knives in his possession, as well as a chainsaw blade.
Secret Service officers arrived, searched the suspect’s Ford Explorer and found fake police equipment, the release says. Officers also discovered shell casings, a smoke grenade and a gas mask inside the SUV.
Police identified the suspect as Max Eli Viner, 37, and the Secret Service arrested him.
He faces pending charges including impersonating a law enforcement officer and possession of a prohibited weapon within the District of Columbia.
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“This is another example of how our teams work closely with our partner law enforcement agencies to keep everyone safe. These partnerships are critical,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said. “We thank the U.S. Secret Service for their detailed and timely information and we thank our officers who continue to show their dedication to our critical mission every day.”
Police did not say why Viner was initially wanted for questioning.
Contributing: Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY
Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
