A 25-year-old congressional intern was arrested early Monday morning by the U.S. Capitol Police for trying to carry an unloaded handgun into a House office building.
Joshua Wheeler of Atchison, Kansas was arrested around 9:00 a.m. at an entrance to the Longworth House Office Building and charged with carrying a pistol without a license, and an unregistered firearm, Lieutenant Kimberly Schneider, the public information officer for the Capitol Police, said.
Capitol Police discovered an unloaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun during an administrative search.
Wheeler has been an intern for House Republican Conference Vice Chair Lynn Jenkins, a Kansas Republican, since May 18, her congressional office confirmed.
"It is our current understanding this was an accident and we are in full cooperation with Capitol Police to resolve the situation. Mr. Wheeler used poor judgment and was immediately placed on temporary leave as soon as we were informed of the arrest,” Jenkins’ communications director Tom Brandt told NBC News by email.
Last summer, two individuals were stopped from bringing handguns into the Cannon House Office Building on separate occasions.
