Image copyright Reuters Image caption A volunteer was taken into custody
A man who carried a gun into the US Capitol Complex has been arrested.
The volunteer was taken into custody outside a park on the Capitol grounds, but no shots were fired and no one was injured.
A Capitol Police spokesman said the man had no licence for the weapon and intended to attack officers.
Capitol Police said the weapon was registered to the man and was not a “capable” automatic weapon.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption A suspect shot and wounded a security guard at the US Capitol in September 2014
The incident happened in southwest Washington.
Police said the man was a security volunteer and had been armed for only 10 minutes when he was detained.
Police later tweeted that they had apprehended the person of interest.
Acapulco police Chief Juan Gomez said the man may have been from South America and may have used his alias and a fake driver’s licence to get in to the park.
He might also have a mental health issue, the chief added.
Capitol Police have not yet released the suspect’s name.
Law enforcement agencies including the FBI and federal prosecutors are investigating, authorities said.
Acapulco police are coordinating with the FBI, the US Marshals, and US Capitol Police in regards to the incident and currently remain in contact with all parties, police said.
The Capitol Complex, which houses the Capitol and other parts of the federal government, includes six separate locations including the Capitol building itself, and visitors centres, a visitor’s subway and a security checkpoint.
There have been a number of close calls at Capitol buildings over the years.
In September 2014, a man opened fire in the basement of the Capitol on 27 September that year, before being shot dead by police.
In the more serious incident in April 2002, a gunman who had been asked to leave the Capitol because he was a security risk fatally shot a security guard.