Man Crashes Car Through Vehicle Barricade at US Capitol, Becomes Engulfed in Flames

A man reportedly drove his car into the vehicle barricade at the US Capitol at 4:00 AM.

After hitting the barricade, the vehicle became engulfed in flames.

The man reportedly started shooting before killing himself.

“Multiple sources tell me overnight a man set his car on fire and drove into a barricade near the U.S. Capitol. He started shooting indiscriminately, ultimately shot and killed himself,” PBS correspondent Lisa Desjardins tweeted.

Breaking.

Multiple sources tell me overnight a man set his car on fire and drove into a barricade near the U.S. Capitol. He started shooting indiscriminately, ultimately shot and killed himself.

One source tells me no one else injured. Waiting for @CapitolPolice confirmtn.

1/

— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) August 14, 2022

The Washington DC Police released a statement this morning.

Just after 4:00 a.m., a man drove his car into the vehicle barricade at East Capitol Street and Second Street.

While the man was getting out of the car, it became engulfed in flames.

The man then fired several shots into the air along East Capitol Street.

When our officers heard the sound of gunfire, they immediately responded and were approaching the man when he shot himself.

Nobody else was hurt.

At this time, it does not appear the man was targeting any Members of Congress, who are on recess, and it does not appear officers fired their weapons.

Our investigators are looking into the man’s background.

DC’s Metropolitan Police Department is handling the death investigation.

USCP is not saying here how far the man got after hitting the barricade.

But says officers were approaching him when he *shot* himself.

They are investigating and are not yet commenting on the man’s identity or if it is known.

(Apologies for fumbly typos previously.)

— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) August 14, 2022

AP reported:

A man drove his car into a barricade near the U.S. Capitol early Sunday and then began firing gunshots in the air before fatally shooting himself, police said.

The incident happened just before 4 a.m. at a vehicle barricade set at East Capitol Street NE and 2nd Street SE in Washington.

It comes at a time when law enforcement authorities across the country are facing an increasing number of threats and federal officials have warned about the potential of violent attacks on government buildings in the days since the FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

The attack is reminiscent of an incident when a man drove a vehicle into two Capitol Police officers at a checkpoint in April 2021, killing an 18-year veteran of the force. And many on Capitol Hill remain on edge after supporters of the then-president stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.