Man arrested at Capitol had torch, flare gun and smelled like fuel, police say
A man who smelled like fuel showed up to the visitor center of the U.S. Capitol with a torch and a flare gun on Election Day, prompting police to shut down the building to tours for the rest of the day, police say. U.S. Capitol Police said the man was in the process of going through security at the Capitol Visitor Center about 12:30 p.m. when officers stopped him and discovered the torch and flare gun. They also found bottles that appeared to have fuel residue on him, police said. Officers arrested the suspect, a 28-year-old man from Michigan, and investigators were still questioning him about 2:15 p.m., police said. Police have not yet released his name or provided a possible motive. While it’s unclear if the incident has any connection to the election, police are on heightened alert Tuesday for political violence. Every state attorney general in the country released a letter Monday condemning possible political violence. “We expect that Americans will respond peacefully” regardless of the outcome, the attorneys general said in the letter. News4’s I-Team found that several states across the country put in new security measures to ensure the safety of election workers. Last week in Maryland, someone followed a poll worker home from a polling place. The person told police they wanted to “make sure ballots were taken to the correct location.” Experts have told the News4 I-Team for months that support for politically motivated violence is at alarming levels.
A man who smelled like fuel showed up to the visitor center of the U.S. Capitol with a torch and a flare gun on Election Day, prompting police to shut down the building to tours for the rest of the day, police say.
U.S. Capitol Police said the man was in the process of going through security at the Capitol Visitor Center about 12:30 p.m. when officers stopped him and discovered the torch and flare gun. They also found bottles that appeared to have fuel residue on him, police said.
Officers arrested the suspect, a 28-year-old man from Michigan, and investigators were still questioning him about 2:15 p.m., police said. Police have not yet released his name or provided a possible motive.
While it’s unclear if the incident has any connection to the election, police are on heightened alert Tuesday for political violence.
Every state attorney general in the country released a letter Monday condemning possible political violence.
“We expect that Americans will respond peacefully” regardless of the outcome, the attorneys general said in the letter.
News4’s I-Team found that several states across the country put in new security measures to ensure the safety of election workers.
Last week in Maryland, someone followed a poll worker home from a polling place. The person told police they wanted to “make sure ballots were taken to the correct location.”
Experts have told the News4 I-Team for months that support for politically motivated violence is at alarming levels.
What's Your Reaction?
