A U.S. Capitol police officer was killed and another was injured when a man struck a vehicle against them on Friday at a barricade outside the Capitol building. The suspect was shot by police after getting out of the car and throwing himself at the officers. He later died at a nearby hospital.
Official William “Billy” Evans, an 18-year-old police veteran, was identified as the officer killed Friday. Capitol police said the other officer was in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
Law enforcement sources told CBS News that the suspect was identified as 25-year-old Noah R. Green of Indiana, who had not been on the radar of law enforcement.
Green, an African-American man, was not on any watch list and appeared to have acted alone, according to a federal police officer and a Capitol Hill source.
Police said Green crashed his car into officers at 1:02 p.m., then got out of the car and threw himself at them. Officers shot at the suspect, press chief Yogananda Pittman, the Capitol police chief, said Friday. Several sources said one of the officers was stabbed in the face, but it was unclear which officer was stabbed.
Shortly after 1 p.m., Capitol police sent a first alert to Congressional officials, warning them of an “external security threat.” In about an hour and a half, police sent another alert saying the threat had been “neutralized.”
In a statement, President Biden said he and First Lady Jill Biden were “heartbroken” to learn of the attack, adding that he was receiving information about the incident from his national security adviser. Mr. Biden, who was at Camp David over the weekend, ordered White House flags to be lowered to half the staff.
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
President Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to colleagues that she ordered the Capitol’s flags also to be lowered at half-staff.
“In a time of suffering, there are no right words. However, I hope it will be a comfort to the family of Officer Evans and the family of the other officer harmed in the performance of the duty that so many have in their hearts. broken and grateful for the “brave protection agents of the Capitol,” Pelosi said. “May it be a consolation to Officer Evans and his family that the American flag be flown at half-staff in his honor and in honor of the sacrifice of all the Capitol police, and that the president has designated this honor for the White House and all federal buildings. “
Capitol police said the Evans family is asking for privacy at this time.
The incident occurred nearly three months after the riots attacked the U.S. Capitol in a deadly attack on January 6th. The riot killed five people, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. Two Capitol police officers also committed suicide after the attack and dozens of officers were injured.
The union representing the officers described Friday’s attack as “a tragic situation that adds up to a very difficult year for our members”.
After the January attack, fences were erected around the Capitol complex and thousands of National Guard troops were sent to Washington. That security fence was demolished last week, although there is a layer of interior fencing around the Capitol building itself.
The barricade where the incident occurred is a checkpoint next to the Capitol Senate. It was launched after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to protect the Capitol from possible car bombings, noted Congressman Tim Ryan, who chairs the committee that oversees Capitol police.
On Friday there were fewer people than usual at the Capitol, as Congress is at leisure; most legislators are in their home states. Other congressional officials, as well as journalists and police officers, were in his offices.
Andres Triay, Michael Kaplan, Kris Van Cleave and Rebecca Kaplan helped report.