DC police arrest man for allegedly carrying weapon near VP’s residence

Washington, D.C., police arrested a man on Wednesday for allegedly carrying a weapon and possessing unregistered ammunition near the U.S. Naval Observatory, where the vice president usually resides. 

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) took Paul Murray of San Antonio into custody after the Secret Service detained him close to the Naval Observatory, police said. The vice president’s residence, 1 Observatory Circle, is located on the grounds of the Naval Observatory. 

Murray, 31, was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, carrying a rifle or shotgun outside of a business, possessing unregistered ammunition and possessing a large capacity ammunition feeding device. Officers also recovered a rifle and ammunition from his vehicle, police said. 

The MPD initially responded to an incident involving “a suspicious person based on an intelligence bulletin that originated from Texas.” 

The Secret Service did not immediately return a request for comment. 

The Naval Observatory typically hosts the second family, but Vice President Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff’s move into the residence after Inauguration Day was delayed due to “the need for repairs to the home that are more easily conducted with the home unoccupied.”

A spokeswoman for the vice president confirmed to The Hill that the couple has not moved into the Naval Observatory residence yet. 

After the inauguration, the couple temporarily lived at Blair House, the president’s guesthouse, while the residence underwent renovations. 

Morgan Chalfant contributed. Updated at 5:51 p.m.