The suspect has died in the attack Friday against the US Capitol Police Officer outside the iconic Washington building, several sources told CNN, and two officers, one of them stamped, were injured.
CNN was informed by a senior Congressional assistant and a U.S. Police Captain that after the vehicle driver rammed the car into a constitutional avenue barricade the driver had left the vehicle brandishing a button. The USCP answered, firing and arresting the suspect.
The sequence of events was confirmed by e-mail from the US Capitol Police, obtained by CNN. The email told police officers in the Capitol police to shoot the suspect when he rolled around the barricade and took a knife.
At least one of the officers was stabbed, according to a law enforcement source.
“(US Capitol Police) is responding to the North Barricade vehicle access point along (Constitution) Avenue for reports someone rammed a vehicle into two USCP officers. A suspect is in custody. Both officers are injured. All three have been transported to the hospital,” USCP said in a tweet Friday.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is assisting the Capitol Police, according to CNN.
Despite the recent scaling back of some additional preventive measures placed in place after the January 6 insurgency, the security situation on Capitol Hill remains top of mind for many lawmakers.
The barbed wire fence that surrounded the Capitol complex for months after pro-Trump rioters stormed the building has been removed, and thousands of National Guard troops who were mobilized in response to the insurgency have returned home, while thousands remain in Washington, due to lingering security concerns.
The National Guard was seen reacting to the attack on Friday, and it was later reported that it had been sent to the Capitol.
“The DC National Guard deployed a Immediate Response Force (IRF) composed of National Guard soldiers and airmen to the Capitol complex this afternoon to support the U.S. Capitol Police. Due to operational security, we cannot discuss further details regarding the IRF,” the National Guard said in a tweet.
“No National Guard members were injured in the incident at the Capitol. Currently, approximately 2,300 National Guard members are in DC supporting local, state, and federal authorities in DC,” it added.
In recent weeks, as congressional committees begin their inquiries into the shortcomings surrounding the January 6 attack, the long-term security posture at the Capitol has become a hot topic of discussion.
