Police officer killed after attacker rams car into barricade at Capitol building

A U.S. Capitol Police officer was killed in an attack at the Capitol Friday afternoon. A second officer is injured.

Shortly after 1 p.m., the unidentified suspect rammed his car into two officers before hitting a barricade at the Capitol building, Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman said. The suspect then exited the vehicle with a knife and lunged at an officer. An officer then shot the suspect, who died at a hospital. Two officers were transported to two different hospitals, where one died. No names have been released.

The threat is no longer ongoing, Acting Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said, and the investigation is in its early stages. Officials said the suspect was not on the radar of Capitol Police. No motive is known, though the attack did not appear to be related to terrorism.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

The Capitol building was placed on lockdown, but lawmakers were not inside as Congress is in recess.

This is the second U.S. Capitol Police officer to die from line-of-duty injuries this year. Brian Sicknick died as a result of injuries incurred during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.