Senate aide arrested for gun

WASHINGTON, March 27 (UPI) -- U.S. Capitol Police said an aide to U.S. Sen. James Webb, D-Va., was charged with trying to bring a loaded gun into a Senate office building.

Police said Phillip Thompson told them he forgot the gun, which he said belonged to Webb, and extra ammunition were in the briefcase he was carrying before traveling to the office, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

Thompson, who serves as Webb's executive assistant, was charged with carrying a pistol without a license and possessing an unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition, the police said.

Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, a Capitol Police spokeswoman, said the gun and two fully loaded magazines were discovered when the briefcase was put in an X-ray machine.

"I don't think he intended to harm anybody," Schneider said. "He was quite cooperative."

On Tuesday Webb issued a statement saying: "I can say with great confidence that this was an inadvertent mistake on his part.

"It is no secret that I support the Second Amendment and have a concealed weapons permit for my self defense."