Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer
The U.S. Capitol Police arrested a man who attempted to set his car on fire near the Grant Memorial. The fire started around 5:30 PM on Wednesday. Authorities noted that the car had been spray-painted and accelerant was present in the bag used to ignite the fire, which eventually extinguished itself on First Street NW.
The suspect, a 35-year-old from Virginia, has not been publicly identified but was arrested for “unlawful activities.” While the motive remains unclear, police determined that the incident was unrelated to earlier events. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger remarked, “Twice today, our officers stopped a man who could have been a danger to the Capitol Hill community.” The vigilance of Capitol Police has been critical amid heightened security measures in preparation for Trump’s inauguration and response to recent nationwide attacks.
