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Webb Aide Arrested for Gun Possession

A staffer for Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) was arrested this morning at the Russell Senate Office Building for carrying a loaded pistol into the building in a bag that also contained two additional loaded magazines.

According to Capitol Police officials, the man entered the lower Delaware Avenue and C Street Northeast door of the Russell Building at approximately 10:50 a.m. The weapon and ammunition were found during an administrative X-ray search of his bag.

“It was determined that he did not have a license to carry a pistol in the District of Columbia,” the Capitol Police said in a statement this afternoon. “He was in possession of an unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition. He was subsequently placed under arrest” and was charged with carrying a pistol without a license.

A spokeswoman for the department later added: “It was determined that there was no intent to harm anyone and he was arrested without incident.”

Webb spokeswoman Jessica Smith said in a statment: “To our knowledge, this incident was an oversight by the Senator’s aide. Phillip Thompson is a former Marine, a long-term friend and trusted employee of the Senator. We are still awaiting facts.”

— John McArdle

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