Car rams into police at Capitol barricade; officer killed

A Capitol Police officer was killed Friday after a man rammed a car into two officers at a barricade outside the US Capitol, then emerged wielding a knife, was shot and died at a hospital, law enforcement officials said.

Both officers were hospitalized, and one of them "succumbed to his injuries," Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman told reporters.

"The suspect exited the vehicle with a knife in hand" and "lunged" at the officers, she said.

It wasn't immediately clear how the officer was fatally injured.

The crash and shooting happened at about 1 pm at a security checkpoint about 100 yards (91 meters) from the entrance of the building on the Senate side of the Capitol.  Congress is on recess, and  President Biden had just departed the White House for Camp David when the incident occurred.

The incident comes less than three months after the Jan 6 insurrection at the Capitol left five people dead, including Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick. Two police officers who had been at the riot later died by suicide.

It also comes two weeks after law enforcement authorities removed an outer perimeter fence, opening Independence and Constitution avenues to traffic. An inner-perimeter fence remains around the complex..

A National Guard quick-response team and the local police were on hand at the already heavily fortified complex.

Authorities installed a tall perimeter fence around the Capitol and for months restricted traffic along the roads closest to the building, but they have begun pulling back some of the emergency measures in recent weeks.

While there was no immediate connection apparent between Jan 6 and Friday's crash, the incident underscores that the building and campus remain potential targets for violence. It occurred about 100 yards (91 meters) from the entrance of the building on the Senate side of the Capitol.

The security checkpoint is typically used by senators and staff on weekdays, but lawmakers are away for recess. Fencing that prevented vehicular traffic near that area was recently removed.

The Capitol complex was placed on lockdown after the shooting and staff were told they couldn't enter or exit buildings. Video showed National Guard troops mobilizing near the area of the crash.

Agencies contributed to this story.