U.S. Capitol Police arrest man with torch, flare gun

U.S. Capitol Police arrested a man with a torch and a flare gun at the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) on Election Day.

Police said in a post around 1:35 p.m. that officers had arrested the man, who smelled like fuel, after he was stopped during the screening process.

The CVC closed for tours for the rest of the day.

U.S. Capitol Police said that officers were investigating this situation. No further information was immediately available.

As The Hill reports, Congress is not in session. The House is scheduled to meet for a brief pro forma session at 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday. These sessions do not include the full lower chamber, but rather sessions where a few members meet for procedural reasons.

Security has been heightened across the District of Columbia as the Department of Homeland Security warned of the high likelihood of attacks and threats on important institutions and buildings on Election Day.