U.S. Capitol Police said Tuesday they arrested a man who “smelled like fuel” and was in possession of a flashlight and smoke bomb at the U.S. Capitol.
Capitol Police said the man, whose name was not immediately released, was stopped during security screening at the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC).
“During the investigation, the CVC will be closed to visitors that day. We will provide as much information as possible,” Capitol Police wrote in a post on X.
Mr Fox reportedly indicated that the suspect had also written a 25-page manifesto and intended to submit it to Parliament on Tuesday.
The arrest occurred around 12:30 p.m. ET, a Capitol security official and a person familiar with the investigation told Fox News.
Government and private companies erect barricades in preparation for Election Day
Officials said the suspect’s clothes smelled like fuel and were wet. Capitol Police immediately noticed this and arrested him. His clothes were quickly removed, the official added.
A view of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC on November 4, 2024, ahead of the presidential election. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Officials confirmed the suspect was in possession of a blowtorch, flare gun and other flammable liquids.
A senior source told Fox News that investigators are unsure whether the suspect intended to self-immolate.
The suspect, a white man in his late 20s, drove all night from Michigan to the Capitol, sources told Fox News.
Capitol Police Chief Thomas Munger said at a news conference that “some” of the suspect’s clothing smelled like gasoline, but “not all of it” and that “at this point, it is unclear what the suspect’s intentions were. It’s unclear whether that was the case.”
Manager said there was “no indication at this time that there was any connection to the election” and that the U.S. Capitol Police had an “enhanced security posture” that “could continue during and after the inauguration.” It’s highly sexual,” he added. It is necessary to do so. ”
A view of the security fence near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2024, ahead of the presidential election. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Officials told Fox News that the suspect appeared to be acting alone and was not on Capitol Police’s radar.
Manager said police also found and impounded the suspect’s vehicle several blocks away as part of an ongoing investigation.
In response to a question about the reported manifesto, Munger said: “I had a document stating that I intended to deliver it to Congress.”
“We are still reviewing all those documents,” he said. “That’s a significant amount, and we’re actually trying to determine where he came from.”
Manager explained how officers noticed two bottles and “something in the shape of a firearm” in the suspect’s backpack on the conveyor belt and noticed “a faint odor of gasoline.” .
“And when they pulled the backpack off the conveyor belt, they noticed a much stronger smell of gasoline,” he said, later adding that it was possible the substance was either gasoline or “some type of accelerant.” “Apparently it smelled like that at the time,” he added. At least one of the bottles was leaking and that’s why there was a very strong odor coming from the backpack. ”
Manager said officers found smoke bombs, a lighter, a flashlight and “other items in a backpack” inside the suspect’s jacket. The chief said the suspect was “very compliant” with police. The man hesitated for a moment, but the police officers urged him to hurry through the security checkpoint. Munger said he is currently being interviewed by investigators.
The arrests occurred on Election Day, when voters across the country headed to polling places.
New security fencing installed around key DC sites ahead of Election Day
On Monday, the Secret Service confirmed it was building barriers around key locations in the nation’s capital, including the White House and the vice president’s residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory.
Meanwhile, private businesses in major cities such as New York, Portland, and Washington, D.C., followed suit and closed their stores.
Businesses near the White House have taken security precautions in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2024, ahead of possible violence after the Nov. 5 election. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Secret Service said it is “working closely” with federal, state and local partners in both the nation’s capital and Palm Beach County, Florida, to “increase the level of safety and security” going forward. He said there was. About Tuesday’s election. In addition to the White House and Naval Observatory, the Treasury Department in Washington, D.C., will also be fenced off, and authorities used bike rack fencing to fortify the Capitol, according to the Washington Post.
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Meanwhile, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department indicated that security would also be increased at Howard University, where Harris plans to vote on Election Day.
This is a developing story. Please check back for the latest information. FOX News’ Alec Shemel contributed to this report.
