A man carrying a torch, a flare gun, and two bottles of accelerant was arrested by U.S. Capitol police Tuesday afternoon as he attempted to enter the Capitol Visitors Center.
The man, who has not been publicly identified, was stopped at a security checkpoint at the south entrance to the building, where the illicit items were discovered in a scan of his backpack. According to officers, the man’s clothes were wet and smelled like gasoline. It was discovered that one of the bottles of accelerant in his backpack was leaking.
The man was also carrying papers referencing the war in the Middle East, which officers described as a “manifesto.” He told security personnel that he was there to deliver a letter to Congress.
“It’s really unknown at this point what his intention was,” Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said. “There’s no indication right now that it had anything to do with the election.”
The suspect, who was reportedly compliant with security agents, was taken to police headquarters for further questioning.
Following his arrest at about 12:30 p.m., the Capitol Visitors Center was closed for the rest of the day.
Police in Washington, D.C. have been on heightened alert for potential violence leading up to Tuesday’s presidential election. The police force has increased staffing, requiring all eligible officers to work 12-hour shifts, and fencing has been erected around the White House and other key locations, The Washington Post reports. Some businesses in the area have been boarded up their windows as a precaution over concerns of potential unrest following the election.
