A suspected police impersonator was apprehended near the Capitol and found in possession of a stash of knives, shell casings, a smoke grenade, a gas mask, and a chainsaw blade, and was already wanted by the Secret Service.
Suspected police impersonator apprehended near US Capitol
On Monday, Capitol police arrested a man authorities allege was impersonating a police officer and possessing multiple weapons near Capitol Hill.
Police spotted the impersonator near the capitol building on Monday evening, Politico reported.
When Capitol Police initially searched the man, they found weapons, including multiple knives and a chainsaw blade, according to a statement by Capitol Police.
However, when the Secret Service later arrived and searched the man’s SUV, the impersonator was found to be in possession of fake police equipment, shell casings, a smoke grenade, a gas mask, and a chainsaw blade, The Hill reported.
The suspect now has pending charges for impersonating a law enforcement officer in possession of a prohibited weapon in Washington, D.C., according to Capitol Police.
Suspect was wanted by the Secret Service
The impersonator was identified as Max Eli Viner, 37, who was wanted for questioning by the US Secret Service. It was not immediately clear why Viner was wanted by the Secret Service prior to the incident, and the agency has not yet commented on the matter.
Similar incident last year
In June 2022, a law enforcement impersonator was discovered just before 5 AM, when a Capitol Police officer began speaking to a man who had parked his 2017 Dodge Challenger near Peace Circle on the West side of the Capitol.
The man presented officers with a fake badge reading: “Department of the INTERPOL.”
Capitol police arrested 53-year-old Jerome Felipe of Flint, Michigan, who was actually a retired New York police officer. A search revealed Felipe was in possession of a BB gun, high-capacity magazines, ammunition, and body armor, Politico reported.
Although no real guns were found, Felipe faced charges of unlawful possession of high-capacity magazines and unregistered ammo, according to Capitol Police.
Incident before Biden’s inauguration
In January 2021, Capitol Police arrested another individual on charges of impersonating a police officer. The incident occurred just days before President Joe Biden’s inauguration, according to Capitol Police. The suspect and that incident was an adult female who was placed under arrest and was charged with false impersonation of a law enforcement officer, failure to obey an officer, and fleeing a law enforcement officer.
