The officer was recognized by US Capitol Police as William “Billy” Evans.
Washington, United States: A US Capitol police officer was killed and a second injured Friday after a car rammed via safety and crashed right into a barrier on the Washington advanced, forcing it into lockdown lower than three months after a mob assault on Congress.
Capitol Police shot lifeless the driving force after he jumped out of the automotive and lunged at them with a knife, Performing Chief Yogananda Pittman advised reporters.
No info was out there on the identification of the attacker or his motivation. Pittman mentioned there was no present police file on the suspect.
However Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee indicated {that a} terror hyperlink was not suspected at this stage.
“It doesn’t look like terrorism-related, however clearly we’ll proceed to analyze,” mentioned Contee.
Information experiences mentioned President Joe Biden, spending the Easter weekend at his Camp David retreat, had been knowledgeable of the assault.
The slain officer was recognized by US Capitol Police as William “Billy” Evans, an 18-year veteran of the pressure.
“Please hold Officer Evans and his household in your ideas and prayers,” Pittman mentioned in a press release.
Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered flags lowered to half-staff on the Capitol within the sufferer’s honor whereas the Senate’s chief Republican, Mitch McConnell, supplied prayers.
“I am heartbroken for the officer killed at this time defending our Capitol and for his household. I am praying for the officer injured and his household,” tweeted Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer.
‘Search cowl’
The assault got here as psyches remained scarred and safety tight after the January assault on Congress by a whole bunch of supporters of then-President Donald Trump.
Nationwide Guard troops have been mobilized Friday and workers on the enormous Capitol advanced ordered to avoid home windows and search cowl after alerts went out over the incident shortly after 1 pm (1700 GMT).
Whereas Congress was on recess for the Easter vacation, textual content messages despatched to staffers nonetheless working inside advised them to keep away from home windows and mentioned nobody may enter or go away the constructing.
“In case you are outdoors, search cowl,” the messages mentioned, whereas tv footage confirmed what gave the impression to be the injured officers being loaded onto gurneys and into ambulances.
Following the assault, the blue sedan may very well be seen crashed right into a safety barrier on one of many streets resulting in Congress.
Heightened safety after January 6
Within the January 6 assault, a whole bunch of extremist Trump-backers smashed into the Capitol constructing yelling threats towards politicians and shutting down the legislature.
One Capitol Police officer died on account of the assault, in addition to 4 others people who took half or have been close by.
Since then safety officers have mentioned there’s an ongoing risk from extreme-right teams and Trump supporters.
Greater than 300 folks have been charged within the January assault, together with members of armed extremist teams just like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, and 100 extra are anticipated to be charged, in keeping with Justice Division courtroom filings.
In latest weeks some safety across the advanced has been loosened, with the variety of armed Nationwide Guard troops on the Capitol lowered and a safety fence that created a broad perimeter across the Capitol advanced eliminated.
However everlasting boundaries stay in place on all of the roadway entrances to the Capitol, well-manned by police and nationwide guard.
“I drive via this checkpoint and wave to the officers guarding it almost on daily basis that I am in Washington. I am heartbroken to be taught of an officer’s loss of life in at this time’s assault,” tweeted Consultant Angie Craig.
Safety officers, together with the Capitol Police and Nationwide Guard, have been faulted for reacting slowly to the crowds who stormed the Capitol on January 6.
However, Pittman mentioned, additionally they stay on edge. “This has been a particularly troublesome time for the US Capitol police after the occasions of January 6, and after the occasions which have occurred right here at this time,” she mentioned.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
