One Capitol police officer is dead and another is hospitalized after a suspect slammed a car into a northern barrier at the US Capitol forcing a lockdown.
Police said a vehicle rammed into two Capitol Police officers, who were injured and transported to the hospital. One of the officers later died.
The suspect then exited the vehicle with a knife.
“Our officers then engaged that suspect. He did not respond to verbal commands.The suspect did start lunging toward U.S. Capitol Police officers, at which time U.S. Capitol Police officers fired upon the suspect,” acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said during a briefing on Friday. “The suspect has been pronounced deceased. Two U.S. Capitol Police officers were transported to two different hospitals, and it is with a very, very heavy heart that I announce [one of the] officers has succumbed to his injuries.”
Congress was not in session on Friday and investigators does not believe the incident is terror related.
The attack came less than three months after the deadly Capitol riot on Jan. 6 that resulted in the death of Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick. Two other officers, Capitol Police Howard Liebengood, and MPD officer Jeffrey Smith, took their lives after the riot.
