WASHINGTON DC – Police detained outside the Capitol on Friday a man who had falsely identified himself as an Interpol agent and who was carrying a large number of bullets, although he did not have a gun to fire them.
In a statement, the Capitol Police identified the detainee as Jerome Felipe, 53, from the town of Flint, Michigan.
According to the authorities, shortly before 5 a.m. local time, one of the Capitol Police officers began talking to Felipe, who had parked his vehicle near the so-called Peace Monument, west of the parliamentary headquarters.
Felipe, a retired police officer from New York, handed the agents a false badge that had the phrase “Interpol Department” printed on it and assured that he was a detective from that international organization.
The agents then proceeded to inspect his vehicle, where they found several magazines with a capacity for numerous bullets, a pellet gun and two bulletproof vests.
They did not find, however, any firearm to fire the ammunition.
The police are still trying to determine why Felipe had parked outside the federal Capitol.
The detainee will face charges for the illegal possession of ammunition and high-capacity chargers, the Capitol Police detailed.
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