Nation
One officer dead, one injured after car ramming at Capitol, suspect dead
BREAKING STORY – UPDATED @ 3:24 PM (ET)
A U.S. Capitol Police officer has died and another injured after a car smashed into a security barrier at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, USCP announced at a press briefing.
The male suspect, who exited his vehicle with a knife after ramming the barricade, was shot by police after refusing to stand down and running toward them. He later died, police said. The man’s motives are unclear at this time, but it was said by police that “it does not appear terrorism-related”.
Authorities emphasized that the investigation is still in its early stages and that there is currently no ongoing threat.
The Capitol had been put on lockdown after initial reports of the incident, but has since been lifted.
The incident occurred at a vehicle checkpoint on the north side of the Capitol along Constitution Avenue in Washington D.C., according to police.
“USCP is responding to the North Barricade vehicle access point along Independence Avenue for reports someone rammed a vehicle into two USCP officers,” Capitol Police tweeted initially, before correcting it to Constitution Avenue. “A suspect is in custody. Both officers are injured. All three have been transported to the hospital.”
You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @DouglasPBraff.
Middle East
US responds to Iranian drone strike that killed US contractor with “precision airstrikes”
The U.S. military launched multiple precision airstrikes in Syria, leaving at least 8 Iranians dead in response to the Iranian drone strike which left a US contractor dead and five service members injured, according to numerous reports.
The DOD said that a UAV belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps crashed into a building in northeast Syria at 1:38 p.m. According to a Fox News report, the “U.S. airstrike at an arms depot in Harabesh, in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour left six Iranian-backed fighters dead. A second U.S. bombing at a post near the town of Mayadeen killed another two fighters, according to the Observatory, whose reporting relies on local Syrian contacts.”
U.S. intelligence officials stated that they were able to trace the UAV back to Iran. After President Biden received the details of the strike he gave the authorization to conduct a counter attack.
Moreover, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said, “at the direction of the President, I authorized U.S. Central Command forces to conduct precision airstrikes tonight in eastern Syria against facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC),” he said.
“The airstrikes were conducted in response to today’s attack as well as a series of recent attacks against Coalition forces in Syria by groups affiliated with the IRGC,” he added.
General Michael Kurilla, Commander of CENTCOM (United States Central Command), also stated that the airstrikes were in response to the attack on an American contractor and wounded troops.
“This evening, we responded to an attack on our forces that killed an American contractor and wounded our troops and another American contractor by striking facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” Krill said. “This was another in a series of attacks on our troops and partner forces.”
He shared his condolences with the families by stating that “thoughts and prayers of US Central Command are with the Family of our contractor killed and with our wounded service members and contractor.”
You can follow Alexander Carter on Twitter @AlexCarterDC
-
China5 days agoChinese Media Showcases President Xi’s Trip to Russia
-
China5 days agoNorth Korea tests missiles in simulated Nuclear counterattack
-
Nation4 days agoHouse demands Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg to release communications on ‘unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority’ against Trump
-
Immigration4 days agoTexas, U.S. officials warn Americans not to travel to Mexico as cartel violence escalates
