A young child–estimated to be between 7 and 8 years of age–recently found the unexpected while visiting the Capitol Hill offices of House Speaker John Boehner: a loaded semiautomatic handgun which had been left in the bathroom by a dignitary protection officer.

And this is not the first instance of Capitol Hill officers leaving their weapons in public places, according to Roll Call. A member of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s security detail also left his Glock and the ammo magazine lodged into the toilet seat cover holder of a Capitol Visitor Center bathroom stall recently.

But wait, it only gets more disturbing.

A third Glock semiautomatic handgun was discovered on April 16 by a janitor cleaning the Capitol Police headquarters building  in Washington, D.C.  That weapon was left in plain sight, which has led to growing concern about the department charged with protecting one of the most frequently visited complexes in the world.

It should also be noted that a Glock 9mm pistol, unlike a gun with a safety on it, will fire when you merely press the trigger. That’s a sobering thought in light of the gun found by the child in the bathroom of Boehner’s office.

A spokesperson with the Capitol Police, Lt. Kimberly Schneider, when asked about the recent incidents, remarked:

“The Department takes very seriously all breaches of Department rules and has established policies that address such matters. Each disciplinary matter is thoroughly investigated and reviewed, employees are held accountable for their conduct, and they are provided due process in adjudicating these matters. Depending on the nature and seriousness of the violation, an employee’s record, and other ‎required considerations, an appropriate penalty is applied, up to and including termination of employment. As a matter of policy, the Department does not routinely discuss internal personnel matters, in order to maintain the integrity of the Department.”

Well, that certainly clears things up. NOT!

These are tense times for the Capitol Police. On April 15, a man landed a gyrocopter on the Capitol grounds. Though he did not apparently intend to do harm to anyone, we are left to wonder what kind of mayhem could be unleashed with a loaded handgun.

This article was originally published by the same author at LiberalAmerica.org.