Man Crashes Car Into Capitol Barricade, Fires Multiple Shots Before Killing Himself
A man crashed his car near the U.S. Capitol early Sunday morning and fired several shots into the air before turning his gun on himself to commit suicide.
The Capitol police said nobody else was hurt, but they are now investigating the incident.
What the Capitol Police Know so Far
According to the official website of the Capitol police, the driver was identified as 29-year-old Richard A. York III of Delaware. Police said his next of kin had already been notified about his death.
Police noted that York did not seem to be targeting any member of Congress, as no sessions were held that day. According to NPR, members of Congress are currently on recess and will return only after Labor Day. Only a few staff members were present at the Capitol at the time.
The Capitol police said the incident happened at around 4 a.m. on Sunday. A car drove to a barricade about one block east of the Capitol and crashed. As he stepped out of the vehicle, the car became "engulfed in flames." The driver then fired several gunshots into the air. Nobody was hurt.
Police said officers were approaching York when he shot himself. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger noted that no police officer was able to fire back at York after he first fired shots and then killed himself.
He said the officers reported that they did not hear the man say or shout anything when he first opened fire. Manger added that investigators were investigating whether York might have started the blaze since it did not appear to have been sparked by the collision.
As for his motives, police are still searching for his background. So far, not much is still known about why York crashed his car into a barricade and shot himself.
Incident Comes as Law Enforcement Across the United States Is on High Alert
The Associated Press reported that the incident comes as law enforcement faces threats across the country following the FBI search of former President Donald Trump's home at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Officials are now on high alert after Trump and Republican allies have been riling up their base, with fears of attacks from Trump supporters putting police on edge.
It culminated when an Ohio man tried attacking an FBI field office in retaliation to the raid on Trump's home. The man was shot and killed after a shootout with local police.
Many on Capitol Hill are still on edge following the January 6 Capitol insurrection allegedly led by Trump supporters. Several members of the Capitol police died or were injured following that attack.
The incident seemed reminiscent of the April 2021 car crash where a man drove into a Capitol police checkpoint, killing a veteran police officer.
READ MORE: Mar-a-Lago Search Warrant Released, Trump May Have Violated Espionage Act, Committed Felonies
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Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Capitol Police Identify Man Who Died By Suicide On Capitol Grounds - From MSNBC