Politics
Machete-Wielding Capitol Suspect Released Before Inauguration
Clear Facts
- A Washington, D.C. man, Mel J. Horne, was arrested for attempting to bring a machete and three knives into the Capitol Visitor Center.
- Horne was granted conditional pre-trial release after a hearing in D.C.’s Superior Court.
- The incident occurred shortly before President-elect Donald Trump’s visit to the Capitol to honor former President Jimmy Carter.
In a concerning incident at the U.S. Capitol, Mel J. Horne, a 44-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., was apprehended for attempting to smuggle a machete and three additional knives into the Capitol Visitor Center. This alarming event unfolded just days before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who was visiting the Capitol to pay respects to former President Jimmy Carter.
According to the criminal complaint, Horne attempted to pass through security with two pocket knives and a box cutter placed in a plastic tray. A subsequent search of his bag revealed a machete. The authorities have charged him with multiple counts of carrying a dangerous weapon.
During a hearing in D.C.’s Superior Court, Horne was granted a conditional pre-trial release, although the specifics of this release remain undisclosed. The affidavit notes that Horne claimed he was at the Capitol for Carter’s Lying in State Funeral and carried the weapons for landscaping purposes. However, officers found this explanation dubious, especially given the city’s snow emergency and Horne’s admission that he was not on his way to a landscaping job.
“Horne stated that he was homeless, and that he carries these items everywhere he travels,” the affidavit revealed.
Horne’s personal history adds another layer to the story. Court documents from an unrelated civil case show that his parents had previously sought a court order to remove him from their home, citing concerns over his alleged substance use and violent behavior. Brenda Horne, his mother, alleged in a civil complaint, “My son is living in our house (rent free) and in the past year has started to use a substance to get high or alter his mind.”
She further identified “PCP” as the substance in question, which she claimed made him difficult to manage. Despite these challenges, the case was dismissed without prejudice after Horne agreed to leave his parents’ home, with a provision allowing him to return only to tend to bonsai trees on their property.
The incident involving Horne occurred just hours before Trump’s visit to the Capitol, underscoring the heightened security concerns surrounding the event. U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger emphasized the importance of vigilance, stating, “Our officers know they cannot let their guard down for one second.”
Adding to the day’s tension, another individual, Adrian J. Hinton, was arrested shortly after Horne for allegedly attempting to set a car on fire near the Grant Memorial. Authorities have indicated that the two cases are not connected.
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