Police arrest man at US Capitol who had bottles of fuel, flare gun, blow torch

U.S. Capitol Police announced Tuesday that officers arrested a antheral who "smelled similar fuel" and had a torch and a flare weapon astatine the U.S. Capitol.

Capitol constabulary said the man, whose sanction was not instantly released, was stopped during the information screening process astatine the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). 

"The CVC is closed for tours for the day, portion we investigate. We volition supply much accusation erstwhile we can," Capitol police posted connected X. 

Fox is told the fishy besides wrote a 25-page manifesto and indicated that connected Tuesday helium intended to present it to Congress. 

The apprehension happened astir 12:30 p.m. ET, legislature information sources and those acquainted with the probe told Fox News. 

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The sources said the suspect's apparel reeked of substance and his apparel were wet. Capitol Police picked up connected this instantly and arrested him. His apparel were removed immediately, the sources added. 

U.S. Capitol Police released a photograph of a flare weapon seized from a fishy during a information screening process astatine the visitor's center. (USCP)

The sources confirmed the fishy had a stroke torch, a flare weapon and different flammable liquids with him. 

One elder root told Fox News that investigators were not definite if the fishy intended to self-immolate himself. 

The fishy is described arsenic being a White antheral successful his late-20s who drove each nighttime from Michigan to the Capitol, sources archer Fox News. 

U.S. Capitol Police released a photograph of a torch lighter and bottles of substance seized from a fishy during a information screening process astatine the visitor's center. (USCP)

At a property conference, Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger said "some" of the suspect’s covering smelled similar gasoline, "but not each of it," truthful "it's truly chartless astatine this constituent what his volition was." 

"There's nary denotation close present that it had thing to bash with the election," Manger said, adding that the U.S. Capitol Police person "an enhanced posture successful presumption of our security," that volition apt proceed "through and beyond the inauguration, if request be."  

Sources told Fox News the fishy appeared to beryllium acting unsocial and was not connected the U.S. Capitol Police's radar. 

Manger said constabulary besides located the suspect's conveyance respective blocks distant and seized it arsenic portion of the ongoing investigation.

A presumption of the U.S. Capitol successful Washington D.C., connected Nov. 4, 2024, up of the Presidential Election.  (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"He had papers with him that helium said his intent was to present them to Congress," Manger said erstwhile asked astir the reported manifesto. 

"We're inactive going done each of those papers," helium said. "It's rather a bit, and we are trying to find where, successful fact, helium did travel from."

Manger described however officers noticed 2 bottles and "what appeared to beryllium thing successful the signifier of a firearm" successful the suspect’s backpack connected the conveyor loop and acknowledged a "faint odor of gasoline." 

"And erstwhile they pulled the backpack disconnected the conveyor belt, they noticed a overmuch stronger scent of gasoline," helium said, aboriginal adding that the substance could person been either gasoline oregon "some benignant of accelerant," and that "it appeared that astatine slightest 1 of the bottles was leaking, and that's wherefore the backpack smelled truthful strongly." 

Manger said officers recovered a flare gun, a lighter and a torch lighter successful the suspect's jacket, arsenic good arsenic "other articles successful his backpack." The main described the fishy arsenic "very compliant" with police. The antheral was said to person hesitated concisely and was urged by officers to velocity up going done security. He is present being interviewed by investigators, Manger said. 

A presumption of the information obstruction adjacent the U.S. Capitol successful Washington, D.C., connected Nov. 4, 2024, up of the Presidential Election.  (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The apprehension happened connected Election Day, arsenic voters crossed the state caput to the polls.

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On Monday, the Secret Service confirmed that it was erecting barriers astir large sites successful the nation's capital, including the White House and the vice president's residence astatine the U.S. Naval Observatory. 

Meanwhile, backstage businesses successful large cities, similar New York, Portland and Washington, D.C., person besides followed suit by boarding up their storefronts. 

Businesses adjacent the White House acceptable up information measures successful Washington, D.C., connected Nov. 4, 2024, up of imaginable unit connected and aft the Nov. 5 election.  (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

In a connection to Fox News Digital, the Secret Service said it was "working closely" with federal, authorities and section partners successful some the nation's superior and Palm Beach County, Florida, successful bid to instrumentality "heightened levels of information and security" up of Tuesday's election. In summation to the White House and the Naval Observatory, fencing volition besides artifact disconnected the Treasury Department successful Washington, D.C., and authorities person utilized bike-rack barriers to fortify the Capitol, according to The Washington Post. 

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Meanwhile, Howard University, wherever Harris volition beryllium connected predetermination night, volition besides spot heightened information measures, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department indicated. 

This is simply a processing story. Please cheque backmost for updates. Fox News' Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.