US Capitol: Delaware Man Shoots Himself After Crashing, Burning Car into Barricade

Authorities said a guy drove his car into a barricade near the US Capitol building early Sunday morning and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The guy got out of his burning automobile after it collided near East Capitol Street and Second Street just after 4 am, according to a statement from the US Capitol Police. As authorities approached him, he fired multiple rounds into the air and then shot himself.

Capitol Police Say Man Does Not Appear to Target Congress

The officers did not fire back, according to the statement. No one else was injured. Authorities stated that they were looking into the man's past. The motivation of the individual in the event is unclear. According to reports, the encounter lasted barely a few seconds, and authorities did not have time to respond before the man turned his firearm on himself.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Metropolitan Police Department, which is in charge of the inquiry, had not revealed any information regarding the man's identity or purpose. The US Supreme Court is also close to the barricade hit by the guy.

"At this time, it does not appear that the individual was targeting any Members of Congress who are currently on recess, and it does not appear that officers fired their firearms," Capitol police said in a statement, New York Times reported.

During a press conference Sunday afternoon, US Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger stated that the individual had a criminal background from the last 10 years or so, but that there was no information to indicate the purpose and no political ideology that we're aware of at this moment.

Shooting Near US Capitol Still Under Investigation

As per CNN, Capitol police are reviewing security footage from the incident for further information on any possible intentions, according to the chief. US Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger stated that no more weapons were discovered on the site and that the only identifying objects left in the car were aerosol cans, which caught fire immediately after the driver slammed into the barricade.

According to the USCP head, the DC Fire Department is investigating if the individual caused the fire himself. Though Police Chief Tom Manger stated that the USCP has enhanced its measures in recent days in reaction to threats to other law enforcement agencies, he stated that the force's presence at the Capitol would not be reduced in response to Sunday's event.

The investigation into the man's death has been taken up by Metro Police in Washington, DC. The incident occurred more than a year after another car collided with a Capitol roadblock in 2021, killing one officer and injuring another. As reported by the Capitol Police union, the attack murdered officer Billy Evans and left the Capitol Hill Police Department reeling, according to Fox News.

Since the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, there has been an increase in cases of violence directed towards governmental structures and officials. A guy who attempted to get into the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Cincinnati office was shot and killed by law enforcement agents following a confrontation on Thursday. He has been on the FBI's radar for months as a possible suspect in the Capitol attack.

A search warrant issued for former President Donald J. Trump's oceanfront property and resort in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, spurred right-wing and Republican politicians to warn of impending bloodshed.