WASHINGTON: A U.S. Capitol Police officer has died from injuries suffered in Friday's vehicle attack at the Capitol complex, police said.
The suspect also has died, police said at a briefing.
Initial report:
Earlier, streets surrounding the US Capitol and congressional office buildings were locked down, with a heavy police presence, on Friday, a Reuters eyewitness said, while Capitol police said they were responding to reports that a motorist had tried to run down two officers.
A car rammed a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol on Friday afternoon, injuring two Capitol Police officers and leading to the driver being shot, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
The crash and shooting happened at a checkpoint near the Capitol as Congress is on recess.
Capitol Police say that someone "rammed a vehicle into two USCP officers'' and that a suspect was taken into custody.
"Both officers are injured. All three have been transported to the hospital," their statement said.
Dozens of police cars, marked and unmarked, raced toward the Capitol building. All roads leading to the complex were blocked by police or police officers.
A helicopter was seen hovering overhead and observers were ordered to leave the area. Videos from the scene showed what looked like two people on stretchers being loaded into ambulances.
Authorities have begun only in the past couple of weeks to remove the outer ring of high, razor-wire-topped fencing erected around the sprawling Capitol complex after an attack on Jan. 6 by thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump.
Bidens 'heartbroken'
US President Joe Biden said he and First Lady Jill Biden were heartbroken about the attack at the US Capitol Friday that left one police officer dead and another wounded.
"Jill and I were heartbroken to learn of the violent attack at a security checkpoint on the US Capitol grounds, which killed Officer William Evans of the US Capitol Police, and left a fellow officer fighting for his life," Biden said in a statement.
"We send our heartfelt condolences to Officer Evans' family, and everyone grieving his loss."
