United States: Police officer killed in attack on Capitol Hill in Washington
United States: Police officer killed in attack on Capitol Hill in Washington
The suspect, who drove into several agents, was killed by the police. The attack was not connected to terrorism, police tell. Joe Biden ordered the White House flags to be half-masted.
One policeman was killed, and another was injured outside Washington’s Capitol, Washington, police said, Less than three months after the deadly attack on the US Congress seat. Police state the offense was not connected to terrorism. US President Joe Biden said he was “devastated. He ordered the flags of the White House to be half-masted.
Congress elected representatives are on parliamentary leave this week. Still, some team members, Congress employees, journalists, and police were present during these events, which occurred in the early afternoon. These congressional regulars are still traumatized by the January 6 attack led by pro-Trump protesters, which left five people dead, including a Capitol policeman.
With shields in hand, National Guard troops took up positions around the imposing white building and blocking the road near police checkpoints on Friday. They were stationed in Washington after the January attack. On a major avenue near the Capitol, a blue police car was crushed. “The suspect hit two of our agents with his car,” before hitting a fence, said the Chief of Police of the Capitol in Washington, Yogananda Pittman. At that moment, the suspect got out of the car with a knife in his hand and walked towards the officers, who “shot” him.
“Extremely difficult.”
During a press conference, she said, one of the two injured police officers “died.”
She later revealed in a statement. This is William Evans, who worked in the Capitol Police for 18 years.
According to the police, the suspect succumbed around 1:30 p.m. Yogananda Pittman said The Capitol Police is going through a difficult time after the events of January 6 and what happened here today. Police issued an alert in the afternoon while maintaining a security cordon around the “crime scene.” “The investigation is ongoing,” police said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has ordered the flags to be lowered following the “tragic and brave death” of William Evans, whom he called a “martyr for our democracy.”
Today, once again, these heroes risked their lives to defend our country and the Capitol, with the same dedication and willingness to serve as we saw on January 6.
She continued in a statement. I am deeply saddened today for the agent and his family who were killed defending our capital,” said Chuck Schumer, leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate.
“We are better than that.”
After the January 6 attack, the walls of the capital were placed under extremely high security. Some barriers were recently removed, and security around the US House of Representatives was tightened. The incidents took place near a Senate checkpoint, where parliamentarians enter during congressional hearings.
A Democrat, elected to the House of Representatives, Angie Craig, tweeted, America, we are better than this. I walk through this crossing point and greet the officers guarding it almost every day while I’m in Washington.”
Thousands of Donald Trump supporters stormed a congressional seat on January 6, when elected officials confirmed the victory of his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, in the presidential election. Five people have been killed in the attack. More than 300 people have been arrested so far in a relationship with the attack. US authorities indicted on March 15 two men accused of spraying a chemical substance a Capitol policeman, Brian Sicknick, whose death after the violent assault remains unexplained. The 42-year-old policeman died at the hospital the next day. Senate acquits former President Donald Trump for “inciting insurgency” by House of Representatives.