Araweelo News Network
Police say incident ‘appears criminal in nature’ and unconnected to terrorism
Capitol building in Washington, DC, the seat of the United States Congress
Jewel Samad (AFP/File)
Washington(ANN)- Police say incident ‘appears criminal in nature’ and unconnected to terrorism A female suspect tried to ram a police cruiser and run over officers on the U.S. Capitol grounds Wednesday morning, D.C. police said.
A police spokesperson said officers observed an “erratic and aggressive driver” and attempted to stop the vehicle, ABC News reported.
The driver then pulled a U-turn and fled, reportedly hitting another vehicle and almost striking nearby officers, said the report.
“Although preliminary, this incident appears criminal in nature with no nexus to terrorism,” a police spokesperson told reporters.
Law enforcement added that no one was struck by the shots. It was not immediately clear who fired them.
The arrest occurred a day after the Secret Service detained a man claiming to have a bomb outside the White House.
It was the latest in a series of security incidents in recent weeks, including that of a fence-jumper who was found to have spent over 15 minutes on White House grounds before being caught.
The trespasser breached the grounds while the president was in the Washington mansion just before midnight on March 10.
The individual managed to climb over an outer perimeter fence, scale a vehicle gate and hop another fence near the southeast corner of the White House’s East Wing before he was captured after his 16 minute-plus jaunt, according to the Secret Service statement.
Just over a week later, an unidentified driver was taken into custody after a suspicious vehicle approached a White House checkpoint, triggering a security alert.