A man driving a truck with white supremacist symbols and multiple weapons inside was arrested near the Democratic National Committee headquarters Monday morning, according to U.S. Capitol Police.
A press release from USCP said that around midnight on Sunday, a Special Operations Patrol officer noticed a Dodge pickup truck with a swastika and “other white supremacist symbols painted on it.” The truck had a picture of an American flag where its license plate should have been, according to police. The police officer pulled the truck over along the 500 block of South Capitol St. SW, per USCP, and noticed a bayonet and a machete inside the truck.
According to police, the man — identified as 44-year-old Donald Craighead of Oceanside, California — “said he was ‘on patrol’ and began talking about white supremacist ideology and other rhetoric pertaining to white supremacy.”
Investigations of the incident are ongoing, but police said they arrested the man for possession of prohibited weapons.
Craighead was ultimately charged with carrying a dangerous weapon outside of a home or business. On Tuesday, a D.C. Superior Court judge denied him release. Craighead will be held in D.C. jail until his next court appearance, on Sept. 28.
U.S. Capitol Police said it was not immediately clear whether the man was planning to attend any upcoming demonstrations in the area or if he “had ties to previous cases in the area.” Local police departments are scaling up security in D.C. ahead of a planned demonstration on Saturday called “Justice for J6.” The rally, organized by the group Look Ahead America, is in support of people arrested during the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Last month, in a separate incident, a man was arrested after he drove his pickup truck onto the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress and told a police officer he had a bomb. The man, who police identified as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry of North Carolina, posted a live video on Facebook airing his political grievances against Democrats and urging Democrats in the White House and Congress to step down from office. At one point, he claimed the last election was stolen. Capitol Police said there was not a bomb in his truck but “possible bomb making materials” were found in it.
Residents of Capitol Hill have expressed fear ahead of Saturday’s rally, particularly after the experience of the insurrection and other violent incidents near the Capitol. The Associated Press has reported that far-right extremist groups with a history of violence like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers have plans to attend, though the Proud Boys have publicly discouraged their members from attending. Organizers of the event have repeatedly insisted that it will be peaceful. U.S. Capitol Police have said they have a “robust security posture” planned for Sept. 18 and are briefing Congressional leadership about security plans Monday.
This story has been updated with news of a judge’s bond decision. Margaret Barthel contributed reporting.
Jenny Gathright