One officer was killed and a second injured Friday after a vehicle passed through security and crashed into a barrier at the United States Capitol, forcing it to shut down less than three months after a massive assault on Congress. Capitol police shot and killed the driver after he jumped out of the car and pounced on them with a knife, Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman told reporters.
No information was available on the identity of the attacker or his motivation, but Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee indicated that a terrorist link was not suspected at this stage. “It doesn’t appear to be related to terrorism, but obviously we will continue to investigate,” Contee said. National Guard troops were mobilized and personnel from the huge Capitol complex were ordered to stay away from windows and seek shelter after alerts about the incident went out.
Television footage showed a blue sedan crashing into a security barrier on one of the streets leading to Congress, while what appeared to be wounded officers were loaded onto stretchers and ambulances. A helicopter landed on the Capitol grounds and police were loaded on board to be transferred to a hospital.
Greater security
The attack came amid heightened security in Washington after the January 6 uprising by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. In that attack, hundreds crashed into the Capitol building shouting threats at politicians and shutting down the legislature.
A Capitol Police officer died as a result of the attack, as well as four other people who were involved or were nearby. Since then, security officials have said there is a constant threat from far-right groups and Trump supporters.
More than 300 people have been charged in the January attack, including members of armed extremist groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, and 100 more are expected to be charged, according to Justice Department court documents.
‘Search coverage’
Some of the security has been loosened in recent weeks, with the reduction in the number of armed National Guard troops on Capitol Hill and the removal of a security fence that created a wide perimeter around the Capitol complex.
CBS News reported that security officials had already warned congressional staff of a threat before the car struck. Text messages sent to employees inside told them to avoid the windows and that no one could enter or leave the building. “If you are outside, seek shelter,” the messages said. But the danger on Friday was limited as Congress was in recess for the Easter holidays and there were relatively few people in the building.
Security officials, including the Capitol Police and the National Guard, were accused of reacting slowly to the crowds that stormed the Capitol on January 6. Several hundred rioters smashed doors and windows and took to the halls of the legislature, some calling for physical attacks on members of Congress and on then-Vice President Mike Pence, who was there to preside over a session to formally declare Joe Biden the winner. of the elections.
While the incident remains under investigation, some have alleged that Trump and his supporters encouraged the attack and that Trump officials refrained from deploying additional security forces and troops to fight the attackers. Since then, several thousand men and women of the National Guard have remained deployed in the US capital due to ongoing security concerns.
.
