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Authorities are gathering what they know about the man shot to death outside the United States Capitol building after he launched a fatal attack on police officers.
US Capitol Police Officer William Evans died in hospital after a man hit a car against two officers and “lunged” at them with a knife in his hand around 1:00 pm local time on Friday. He was then shot dead by one of the officers.
Four senior law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation named the suspect as Noah Green, a 25-year-old from Indiana, according to NBC News.
The car used in the attack in front of the Capitol
So far, there are few details about who he was, but an investigation has been launched to determine the motive for the attack.
Green, who was originally thought to be from Indiana, lived in Covington, Virginia.
He was a student at Florida State University and was enrolled in a part-time online MBA program.
His Facebook page shows him in a football uniform and is said to be dealing with various problems.
It was not known to either local law enforcement or the US Capitol Police and the attack is not believed to be related to terrorism, authorities said.
Sky correspondent Alex Rossi said investigators will now “try to create a picture of this person,” using information including his social media and phone records.
Authorities will try to work out details, including who his friends and family were, and who he spoke to in the days leading up to the attack, Rossi added.
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‘One of our officers has succumbed to his injuries’
At a news conference, Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said the suspect had rammed his car into two officers before crashing into a barrier.
He then got out of the car and began “aggressively running” towards the officers with a knife in his hand, “lashing out” at them.
Washington DC Police Chief Robert Conti said: “Clearly, this was someone actively trying to reach out to whoever or whatever.”
A soldier stands guard near the scene. Photo: AP
Former CIA covert operations officer Michael Baker said there would be “a lot of speculation” about the motive for the attack, and he hoped there would be a “leap” to the suggestion that the suspect was a far-right supporter.
However, he said the timing of the attack could potentially “point to a mental health problem.”
The House and Senate are currently in recess, so politicians are not currently in the building.
“It’s a quiet time up there and you could assume that if it had been a more nefarious plot, they would have understood it and picked a time when it was busier,” Baker told Sky News.
