UPDATE: Suspect Arrested After Allegedly Threatening to Set off Truck Bomb Near Library of Congress
Capitol Police occupied the downtown area of Washington D.C. in response to what is being described as an active bomb threat near the Library of Congress.
The police put out statements on social media to inform the public that a “suspicious vehicle” was found in the area on Thursday morning, and they are asking people to stay away.
NOW: The USCP is responding to a suspicious vehicle near the Library of Congress.
Please stay away from this area and follow this account for the latest information. pic.twitter.com/LMBYBTJn4t
— U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) August 19, 2021
Reports indicate that the nearby buildings have been evacuated and police are currently in talks with the suspect in his pickup truck. The New York Times has pointed out that Congress is currently on recess, so many U.S. representatives aren’t in the capital right now, though their professional staff typically remain in the city.
MSNBC’s Pete Williams reports that law enforcement sources told him police negotiations are happening slowly because the suspect is communicating with officers via a dry-erase white board. Chris Jansing seemed perplexed as she asked Williams to elaborate, and he explained that “he is communicating with them through a dry erase board that he apparently had with him in the pickup truck. That is the method of communication that he has decided to use to communicate with them. So that is one reason why things are proceeding rather slowly at this point.”
UPDATE – 12:45 p.m. ET: Multiple reports indicate that the suspect held a now-deleted Facebook Live broadcast where he made statements against the government and President Joe Biden. Huffington Post’s Ryan Reilly obtained a sample of the man’s video where he declares “I’m ready to die for the cause.”
NEW: “The revolution is on. It’s here… I’m ready to die for the cause.”
Here’s video from the man who said he’s got a bomb outside the Capitol.
Follow @huffpost and @sara_bee for more as the situation develops. pic.twitter.com/aRx1hES7Vl
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 19, 2021
UPDATE – 2:34 p.m. ET: the Capitol police held a press conference to say that the suspect has surrendered and been taken into custody. Police also told the media that the area is still considered an active scene as they search for explosives.
BREAKING: The bomb threat suspect has surrendered and is in police custody. https://t.co/9YNTtIhw69
— ABC News (@ABC) August 19, 2021
US Capitol Police Chief Manger says the suspect surrendered and he was taken into custody
Manger says they still don’t know if there are explosives in the vehicle — it’s an active scene
— Ali Zaslav (@alizaslav) August 19, 2021
UPDATE – 4:50 pm ET: The suspect has been identified as Floyd Ray Roseberry, a 49 year old man from Grover, North Carolina. According to CNN, the standoff lasted approximately five hours, as police attempted to negotiate with Roseberry via a white board, and then used a robot to take a phone to him, which he refused to use. Eventually, Roseberry got out of his truck and surrendered.
Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger confirmed to reporters that Roseberry had been taken into custody “without incident.”
Watch above, via MSNBC.
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com
