WASHINGTON — The U.S. Capitol Police confiscated an assault rifle with an extended magazine on Friday before it reached the Capitol grounds, the department said in a press release.
The firearm was partially wrapped in a blanket in the back seat of a pickup truck, police said. Capitol Police found the gun when inspecting vehicles at an off-site delivery facility outside of the Capitol grounds, according to the release.
There is currently no evidence that the owner was attempting to target the Capitol or Congress, police said, though the incident remains under investigation.
The truck driver was Michael J. Donohue, a 57-year-old Maryland resident, police said. Donohue faces charges for possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of unregistered ammunition and unlawful activity, according to the police.
NBC News was unable to reach Donohue for comment.
"I thank our entire team at the off-site screening facility from stopping this gun before it came anywhere near the U.S. Capitol Complex," Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said in the press release.
Members of Congress are not in session this week; they'll return to Washington on Monday.
Capitol Police officers confiscated about 40 guns on or near the Capitol in 2022, according to the department.
Last month the Capitol Police confiscated a handgun and assault-style "ghost gun" near the Capitol.
No weapons are allowed on Capitol grounds.
