The complex was locked down following the Jan. 6 riot, and a National Guard contingent was still stationed in the area.
A Capitol Police officer died and another was seriously injured on Friday after a driver rammed a vehicle into a barricade outside the building, officials said.
The suspect, who was later pronounced dead, crashed into the two officers on Constitution Avenue outside the Capitol just after 1:00 p.m. The driver then exited the vehicle and brandished a knife, prompting officers to shoot the driver. Both of the officers and the suspect were transported to a nearby hospital.
Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman later identified the fallen officer as William F. Evans, an 18-year veteran of the force who was part of the First Responder’s Unit.
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The suspect was not known to Capitol Police or the D.C. Metropolitan Police, officials said. Robert Contee, the acting D.C. police chief, said the incident “does not appear to be terrorism-related” and that there was no indication of a “nexus to a member of Congress.” The suspect’s motive was unknown.
Capitol Police issued an all-clear just after 3:00 p.m., lifting the lockdown for those inside the various Capitol buildings.
President Joe Biden, who is spending the weekend at Camp David, was briefed on the incident, the White House said. Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered all flags at the Capitol to be flown at half-staff on Friday in honor of Evans, the fallen officer.
The House and Senate are currently on recess, but some lawmakers, staff, and reporters were working on Capitol Hill. A notice sent to lawmakers and staff shortly after 1:00 pm warned them to stay away from “exterior windows and doors” and for those outside to “seek cover.”
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The Capitol complex went into lockdown today after a reported shooting outside the building and amid reports of a vehicle that crashed into a barricade. https://t.co/XvehfHZvLT
— POLITICO (@politico) April 2, 2021
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