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- At the United States Capitol in Washington, two police officers were run over by a car that hit a barrier.
- One of the officers was killed and another injured, as Capitol Police Department Chief Yogananda Pittman said at a press conference Friday night (CET).
- The driver who got out of the car with a knife was shot. He had not previously responded to warning calls from security forces.
Washington Police Chief Robert Contee said that based on initial findings, the act did not appear to have a terrorist background. The suspect, who was shot by police officers after the attack, was not known to police and the man’s motive was unclear.
The incident occurred at the so-called north barricade of the United States Capitol. Video footage shows a blue car on a barricade. The background is still unclear.
Memories of storming the Capitol
Since then, the United States Congress has been isolated due to the incident, as the American media unanimously reported. However, Congress did not have a session on Friday, so there are hardly any senators or deputies in the complex. President Joe Biden was at his mansion in Camp David, Maryland.
Legend:
Police are investigating the damaged vehicle that crashed into a barricade in front of the Capitol in Washington.
Keystone
Flags at half mast
The flags of the United States were flown at half mast until Tuesday by order of President Joe Biden as a show of respect for the efforts and victims of the Capitol Police.
The murdered policeman is a “martyr for our democracy.”
Biden spoke of a heartbreaking incident and said he would be kept informed of the status of the investigation. He expressed his condolences to the victim’s family. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, called the murdered official a “martyr for our democracy.”
The policeman, William Evans, died of his injuries shortly after the attack. He had been in the service of the Capitol Police for 18 years, as explained by his managing director.
Heavily guarded capitol
The incident occurred just under three months after supporters of former US President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol by force. At least five people were killed in the riots, including a police officer.
Due to the unprecedented attack, the building is heavily guarded. Last week, however, security precautions around the congress venue were lowered somewhat. For example, an exterior fence that had protected the area around the congress venue was dismantled. Streets that were within this circle and that were cordoned off were reopened.
“It is very sad because I believed that once the barriers were removed, we would return to a certain normality. But that just shows how high the risk is, “Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna told CNN news channel. Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wrote on Twitter that he was praying for the injured police officer.
