An Oceanside man with multiple knives who said he was “on patrol” was arrested near Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., early Monday, Capitol Police say. His pickup truck was painted with a swastika and white supremacist symbols, and he allegedly spoke about white supremacist ideology.
Donald Craighead, 44, was arrested for possession of prohibited weapons, police said Monday.
Capitol Police officers saw a pickup truck with “a swastika and other white supremacist symbols” outside DNC headquarters and began talking with the driver. He spoke about “white supremacist ideology and other rhetoric pertaining to white supremacy,” police said in a statement.
Craighead was found to have a bayonet and a machete, police said. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had a lawyer.
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Photos from the department show a large knife in a sheath, swastikas painted on the truck and an American flag where the rear license plate should be.
A special operation division officer was on patrol at about midnight when he saw the Dodge Dakota truck. He noticed the license plate was missing.
The officer pulled over the truck in the 500 block of South Capitol Street SW. Officers then saw the bayonet and machete, which are illegal in D.C., inside the truck.
Craighead allegedly told officers he was “on patrol” and spoke about white supremacy, police said.
“This is good police work plain and simple,” Chief Tom Manger said in the department's statement. “We applaud the officers’ keen observation and the teamwork that resulted in this arrest.”
An investigation is ongoing.
“At this time, it is not clear if he was planning to attend any upcoming demonstrations or if he has ties to any previous cases in the area,” police said.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
