Capitol Police (USCP) arrested a man at the Capitol who “smelled like fuel” and was carrying a blowtorch and a flare gun on Tuesday, according to a USCP announcement.
The man, whose name was not immediately disclosed, was detained during the screening process to enter the Capitol Visitors Center, according to the USCP. The arrest comes during a time of increased security around the Capitol and elsewhere in Washington, D.C., where barriers have been erected around the White House and the vice president’s residence in anticipation of the election Nov. 5, according to Fox 59 Monday.
“The man smelled like fuel, had a torch & a flare gun,” the USCP said in a post on X.
The suspect’s vehicle was located by the police shortly after the arrest, according to the Capitol Police. The Capitol closed tours as the investigation continues.
The man allegedly had a 25-page manifesto that he intended to deliver to congress, which allegedly contained anti-Israel and government statements, a source told Fox News reporter Chad Pergram. He also allegedly was acting alone and was not on the USCP’s radar for suspects, a source told Pergram.
The man was described as a white man in his late 20s, according to Pergram.
Fox is told that US Capitol Police arrested a suspect at the screening center of the Capitol Visitor’s Center around 12:30 pm et.
This is via Congressional security sources or those familiar with the investigation.
His clothes reeked of fuel and his clothes were wet. Capitol…
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) November 5, 2024
“There’s no indication right now that it had anything to do with the election,” USCP Chief Thomas Manger said at a press conference.
It is unlikely lawmakers were at the Capitol during the incident, as the House and Senate are not in session. It is not clear whether the man intended to self-immolate. However, a past incident in February involved a man expressing anti-Israel sentiments setting himself ablaze in front of the Israeli Embassy in the U.S.
The CPD redirected to the initial announcement and did not provide additional information on the suspect when the Daily Caller News Foundation requested comment.
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