A Washington D.C. news station reported Monday that a Pineville man is facing federal charges after he is accused of arriving at the Pentagon with a shotgun, ammunition and a machete. It was later reported by WRIL that the man had marijuana and an open container of alcohol with him.

According to court documents, Charles Lawson approached two Pentagon police officers in the south parking lot on Aug. 6 and made incoherent statements. According to investigators, he told them he was there for “liberty business.”

The Bell County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by federal agents concerning Lawson’s background check.

Lawson was questioned by officers as to whether he was in possession of weapons, and he admitted that he did have a shotgun in his vehicle. Police then handcuffed him, and his truck was then searched.

WTOP in Washington reports that a loaded 12-gauge shotgun was found with an 18-inch machete and pocket knife. A box of shotgun shells, an open bottle of whiskey and a green leafy substance wrapped in white paper were also found along with the weapons inside the truck.

Lawson told the police officers that he left Pineville the night before traveling in his 2000 Chevrolet Silverado and only stopped for gas on his drive to the Pentagon.

He arrived at approximately 3:30 p.m., and according to documents admitted that he spent the day drinking alcohol.

Lawson was taken to the hospital for a physical and mental evaluation, and it is being reported in court documents that Lawson commented to doctors that he was diagnosed as a schizophrenic.

WTOP and WRIL report that a background check found that Lawson cannot legally have a gun because he was involuntarily hospitalized for mental illness in February. In a petition for his commitment, Lawson’s wife said that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Lawson is currently charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm after having previously been committed to a mental institution.

WRIL reports that this is not the same Charles Lawson who was arrested recently for shooting at police officers in the Cary community.

More information will be released on this story as it is made available.