A congressional staff member was arrested Tuesday after trying to enter a Senate office building with a loaded handgun.
Christopher Carpenter of Stafford, Virginia was arrested at the Dirksen Senate Office Building after routine X-ray screening revealed a 9mm handgun with a magazine and seven rounds of ammunition, said U.S. Capitol Police.
Carpenter was charged with unlawful activities, possession of an unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition.
He works for the Senate Sergeant at Arms, the chamber's protocol and chief law enforcement officer. The office is also responsible for most administrative issues in the Senate.
A spokeswoman for that office said Carpenter is the manager of the office that processes Senate identification badges and would eventually return to work.
