Number One Observatory Circle, the official residence of the Vice President of the United States, sits on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. While eyes looked south toward the spa shootings in Atlanta, another gun-related incident drew less attention:
Washington, DC, police arrested a Texas man outside Vice President Kamala Harris’ official residence, the US Naval Observatory, in the nation’s capital on Wednesday and he’s now facing weapons and ammunition charges.
A spokesperson for Washington’s Metropolitan Police said officers responded “at approximately 12:12 pm, to the 3400 block of Massachusetts Avenue, NW in reference to a suspicious person based on an intelligence bulletin that originated from Texas, who was detained by US Secret Service.” Law enforcement contacted the man after a region-wide intelligence bulletin had been issued for the suspect.
DC police say officers arrested and charged 31-year-old Paul Murray, of San Antonio, and that a rifle and ammunition were recovered from his vehicle.
A police report obtained by CNN shows officers allege Murray was in possession of an “AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, 113 rounds of unregistered ammunition, and five 30 round magazines.”
D.C. gun laws are especially strict. I had to look up the unfamiliar “unregistered ammunition” offense. Arrests made surrounding the Jan. 6 Trump insurrection made clear large-capacity magazines are illegal in the District.
NPR reported on Wednesday:
The arrest comes as the district is in a state of heightened security following the Jan. 6 insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol.
Violent pro-Trump extremists, fueled by the idea that President Biden and Harris had stolen the election from Donald Trump, stormed the Capitol, threatening lawmakers and law enforcement.
Vice President Kamala Harris is not currently living at the official residence while under renovations. She and her husband are staying at Blair House closer to the White House.
“I saw that kind of scraggly looking guy, cuffed,” said videographer Andrew Leyden, who posted video online.
Just as with the Atlanta shooter, right now there are few details about this suspect, his intentions, or why there was a “be on the lookout” alert for him.
A UK news source reports Murray is an Army vet:
Murray, from San Antonio, Texas, is said to have experienced ‘paranoid delusions of people in the military and government wanting to harm him’, according to an intelligence bulletin from Texas warning authorities about the suspect.
Lovely.