Capitol Police arrested a man who tried to set his car on fire during Trump’s DC visit to GOP senators
The US Capitol Police (USCP) said they arrested a person who tried to set his car on fire near the US Capitol building during a visit by President-elect Trump late Wednesday.
“Twice today our officers stopped a man who could have been a danger to the Capitol Hill community,” said US Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger. “That vigilance is critical in this time of heightened security.”
The agency reported that during Trump’s visit to Republican senators and the time he paid tribute to President Carter, the 35-year-old from Virginia tried to set his car on fire.
General view of the US Capitol Dome in Washington, DC (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)
Police said that shortly before 5:30 p.m., USCP officers were alerted to a man who had parked on First Street, NW, near the Grant Memorial, and set fire to a duffel bag on top of his vehicle.
When the officers ran to the man, the bag turned itself off.
The US Capitol building in Washington, DC (Reuters/Jason Reed)
Out of an abundance of caution, the USCP said the vehicle was declared suspicious, and the agency’s Hazardous Incident Response Division released the vehicle.
Around 19:00, the officers determined that the car did not pose a danger
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The car was sprayed with paint. Investigators determined that the bag contained accelerants.
The driver was arrested for illegal activities.
