Police are seen at the barricade where a man crashed his car early Sunday morning. Authorities say the man got out of the car and fired several shots into the air before killing himself. Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
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Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
Police are seen at the barricade where a man crashed his car early Sunday morning. Authorities say the man got out of the car and fired several shots into the air before killing himself.
Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
Police are investigating an incident early Sunday morning in which a man crashed his car near the U.S. Capitol and fired several shots before killing himself.
Authorities identified the man as Richard A. York III, a 29-year-old from Delaware.
His reasons for choosing to go to the Capitol were unclear, however he did not appear to direct any members of Congress, the US Capitol Police he said in a statement. No one else was injured.
A worker looks at the area where a man, identified by officials as Richard A. York III of Delaware, crashed into a barricade at the U.S. Capitol on Sunday. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images hide caption
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Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
A worker looks at the area where a man, identified by officials as Richard A. York III of Delaware, crashed into a barricade at the U.S. Capitol on Sunday.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
The incident began around 4:00 a.m. when York drove his car into a barricade a block east of the Capitol.
When he got out of the car, the vehicle “was engulfed in flames,” according to the police statement. York then fired several shots, apparently into the air.
“When our officers heard the sound of a gunshot, they responded immediately and approached the man when he shot himself,” Capitol Police said. The agency said it “did not appear” that any officers fired their weapons.
Congress is currently in recess until after Labor Day.
This is breaking news. Some things reported by the media will later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from officials and other authorities, credible media and journalists on the scene. We will update as the situation evolves.
If you or someone you know may be suicidal or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
