Man fatally shoots himself after ramming U.S. Capitol security barrier

According to Capitol Police, the violence transpired at around 4 am Sunday morning at the street barrier at East Capitol Street and 2nd Street in Washington, D.C.

Man fatally shoots himself after ramming U.S. Capitol security barrier
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A man fatally shot himself after ramming his vehicle into a security barrier near the U.S. Capitol building on early Sunday morning. 

According to Capitol Police, the violence transpired at around 4 am Sunday morning at the street barrier at East Capitol Street and 2nd Street in Washington, D.C. The man, who has been identified as 29-year-old Richard A. York III, drove his vehicle into a barrier, fired into the air, and then shot himself. 

“It is still not clear why he chose to drive to the Capitol Complex,” read a statement from the police. 

The initial report described the scene in full, it read as follows: 

Just after 4:00 a.m., a man drove his car into the vehicle barricade at East Capitol Street and Second Street. 

While the man was getting out of the car, it became engulfed in flames. 

The man then fired several shots into the air along East Capitol Street. 

When our officers heard the sound of gunfire, they immediately responded and were approaching the man when he shot himself. 

Nobody else was hurt. 

At this time, it does not appear the man was targeting any Members of Congress, who are on recess, and it does not appear officers fired their weapons. 

Capitol Police investigators are currently probing the man’s background, and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department is handling the death investigation. 

“We don’t have any information that would indicate his motivation at this point,” said Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger at a press conference following the incident. 

The violence comes amid escalating threats against law enforcement around the country in response to the FBI search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida home.

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