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Georgia teen pleads guilty to gun charge for running onto Capitol grounds with loaded shotgun

Michael Kunzelman

Associated Press

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This image from video contained in the Justice Department's memorandum in support of pretrial detention of Carter Camacho, 18, shows Camacho running near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Feb. 17, 2026. (Justice Department via AP)
This image contained in the Justice Department's memorandum in support of pretrial detention of Carter Camacho, 18, shows items Camacho was carrying near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Feb. 17, 2026. (Justice Department via AP)
This combination of images contained in the Justice Department's memorandum in support of pretrial detention of Carter Camacho, 18, shows items recovered after Camacho's arrest at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Feb. 17, 2026. (Justice Department via AP)
This image from video contained in the Justice Department's memorandum in support of pretrial detention of Carter Camacho, 18, shows Camacho running near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Feb. 17, 2026. (Justice Department via AP)
The U.S Capitol is photographed Friday, July 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

This image from video contained in the Justice Department's memorandum in support of pretrial detention of Carter Camacho, 18, shows Camacho running near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Feb. 17, 2026. (Justice Department via AP)

WASHINGTON – A Georgia teenager who charged at the U.S. Capitol armed with a loaded shotgun and wearing body armor and camouflage clothing pleaded guilty on Monday to illegally carrying a firearm, court records show.

Carter Camacho, 18, of Smyrna, Georgia, told police officers who apprehended him outside the Capitol on Feb. 17 that he intended to confront members of Congress and “scare them into speaking the truth,” according to federal prosecutors. But he didn't make it into the building, and nobody was injured.

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Camacho is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 8 by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C. He has remained jailed since his arrest.

Camacho pleaded guilty to two counts: illegal possession of a firearm on Capitol grounds and receipt or distribution of child pornography. The latter charge stems from a search of his phone after his arrest.

Surveillance video captured Camacho exiting a parked car and running toward the west side of the Capitol with the shotgun in his hands. He complied with Capitol Police officers' commands to stop and get down on the ground.

Camacho told police that he purchased the shotgun for “home defense” less than a week before he drove from Georgia to the Capitol, prosecutors said. He also said he had left pepper spray and other tactical gear in his car “just in case I don’t want to shoot anyone,” according to prosecutors.

“He further indicated that he considered using the shotgun to breach a door to be able to enter the Capitol,” they wrote.

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