WASHINGTON: Prosecutors are charging an armed man arrested near the US Capitol with multiple felony firearms charges, according to court documents filed in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, reported Sputnik.
Ahmir Merrell faces charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a licence and felon in possession of a firearm after police arrested him with a gun near the US Capitol earlier this week, the court documents said on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, police arrested Merrell in Lower Senate Park, which is located near the US Capitol and the Senate office buildings. A concerned citizen reported Merrell to the authorities, fearing that he was acting strangely and possibly had a gun, an officer’s affidavit said.
The officer observed a pistol in Merrell’s hands and ordered him to get away from the firearm – an order with which he did not comply – the affidavit said. Merrell told officers that they would have to kill him to get the gun, the affidavit added.
Officers eventually tasered Merrell after he refused to comply with commands, the affidavit said. Merrell told officers that they “should have killed” him, the affidavit said.
The firearm was an “AR-style” pistol with a 30-round magazine and no stock. Merrell had a prior felony conviction for cruelty to children, the affidavit said.
A preliminary hearing in Merrell’s new case is set for Friday morning, according to court filings. -Bernama
