One police officer and a suspect has died after an attempted security breach at the U.S. Capitol on Friday.
Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman confirmed at a press briefing that one of the officers succumbed to their injuries after they were hit by the suspect's car. The incident started at 10:02 a.m. PST.
Pittman said the suspect attempted to pass through the north barricade, ramming his car into two officers before crashing into the barricade.
The suspect then came out of the car with a knife and did not respond to verbal commands by police and allegedly started lunging towards police, at which point they opened fire.
The suspect and one officer have since died of their injuries.
A second officer was also injured and has been hospitalized.
“We are not able to release any information, names, age, date of birth, anything of that nature at this time because we still have to notify the next of kin," said Acting Chief Pittman. "I just ask that the public continue to keep U.S. Capitol Police and their families in your prayers. This has been an extremely difficult time for U.S. Capitol Police after the events of Jan. 6 and now the events that have occurred here today."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has ordered that flags at the Capitol be flown at half-staff in the officer's honor.
The Metropolitan Police Department of D.C. will now take over the investigation. MPD Chief Robert Kontee said the suspect was not known to U.S. Capitol Police and the attempted breach does not appear to be an act of terrorism at this time.
The attack occurred just 100 yards from an entrance to the Capitol building on the Senate side.
Congress is currently on recess and President Biden had just left D.C. for Camp David when it occurred.
While police said there is no known connection between the attack and the Jan. 6 siege, it comes less than three months after a violent mob of insurrectionists, angry about the results of the presidential election, overtook the U.S. Capitol complex and occupied the area for several hours.
The area has remained on edge since then with high levels of security. Fencing surrounding the complex had just been taken down recently.
The Capitol complex was locked down for several hours until police gave the all clear in an email to staff at 12:08 p.m. PST.
Video shared on social media shows a heavy law enforcement response.
The National Guard has also arrived on the scene.
While the incident has ended, there is still a major police investigation and security response in the area.
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