Armed man with false credentials for Biden's inauguration arrested near the Capitol

Florida elements of the National Den guard the Lincoln Memorial JOE RAEDLE / AFP

A man armed with 500 rounds was detained by Washington police near the Capitol on Friday.

Wesley Allen Beeler, 31, of Virginia, was arrested while arriving in a van at one of the checkpoints surrounding the United States Congress.

To enter the security perimeter, the suspect used credentials from Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony on January 20.

The capital city police have reported that this identification was false.

The event adds tension to a city that is on high alert after threats of violence for next week, according to the FBI.

The police found in the search of the vehicle, a Ford F-150 pickup, a Glock pistol hidden in the glove compartment.

Agents also found 509 .9-millimeter caliber bullets and 21 other shotgun ammunition.

The arrest was carried out less than 800 meters from the Capitol.

Beeler, who accepted that the gun was his, has been charged with five criminal charges for failing to register it.

Authorities in the US capital have not reported the suspect's intentions when entering the heavily guarded area, nor have they communicated whether he is a member of any of the far-right movements that have put the investiture under threat.

Beeler's family has told local press that the subject works for a private security firm.

In a hearing this Saturday, a judge has prohibited him from entering the city.

Beeler's father explains in an interview with

that his son is a security contractor.

In recent days, and after the assault on Congress on January 6, he had worked the night shift at a site near the Capitol.

His previous experience includes guarding a property of the Saudi embassy.

Among the seized weapons were some hollow point bullets, commonly used in attacks where they are intended to pierce Kevlar bulletproof vests.

Downtown Washington is a fortress.

More than 20,000 members of the National Guard are deployed throughout the city.

For the first time, the National Mall is closed within days of a change in the White House.

The long open-air esplanade is one of the busiest tourist areas and serves as the stage for hundreds of thousands of spectators for the investiture ceremony.

There you will find the Lincoln Memorial and the much visited Smithsonian museums.

The eastern part empties into the Capitol.

Access to this entire area is prohibited.

Entry is limited to vehicles accredited through dozens of checkpoints guarded by the military and members of the secret service.

"Clearly, we are in uncharted waters," said DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, apologizing to neighbors for the inconvenience caused by the security operation.

In addition to the measures adopted by the federal and city authorities, the State Congresses are also shielding themselves against episodes of violence.

The governments of Texas and Florida, both Republican states, have ordered the closure of their legislatures until after Biden's inauguration.