Man Sentenced for Capitol Rifle Incident

A 22-year-old man, Ahmir Lavon Merrell, has been sentenced to two years in prison for illegally bringing an AR-style rifle and 73 rounds of ammunition to the Capitol grounds last fall. Merrell pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of illegal receipt of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper also mandated three years of supervised release following his prison term, as stated in a Department of Justice press release. The incident occurred last November when a Capitol Police officer was alerted to a man reportedly holding a gun. Upon officers' arrival at a nearby park, Merrell refused to comply with their demands to drop the weapon. A stun gun was deployed, leading to his arrest. During the confrontation, Merrell allegedly stated that officers would have to kill him to take the gun away, highlighting the tense situation. Police recovered a Diamondback Arms AR-style rifle, which was loaded with one round in the chamber and had a high-capacity magazine containing 26 rounds. A.J. Kramer, Merrell’s public defender, emphasized that the case was unique, asserting that Merrell did not intend to commit any crimes or harm others, but rather appeared to be in distress himself. Kramer indicated that Merrell plans to seek mental health treatment while incarcerated, suggesting that underlying issues may have contributed to his actions on that day. The case underscores the complexities surrounding gun possession and mental health in the context of public safety.