The U.S. Capitol Police are currently investigating the motive of a Virginia man who was apprehended for attempting to set a vehicle on fire near the Grant Memorial in DC. This incident took place at the eastern edge of the National Mall.
USCP reported that officers were notified on Wednesday about a man who had parked his car on First Street, NW. Witnesses observed him lighting a bag and placing it on top of the car, which had been spray painted.
Officers rushed towards the man, but the bag had already extinguished itself, according to a report by USCP. Despite this, the car was deemed suspicious as a precautionary measure. The Hazardous Incident Response Division thoroughly inspected the vehicle and concluded that it posed no threat at around 7:00 p.m.
Investigators from the USCP discovered that the bag carried accelerants, as stated by the authorities. Adrian J. Hinton, a 35-year-old man, was apprehended and accused of engaging in unlawful activities.
According to USCP, officials have stated that there is no ongoing threat and they do not believe that this case is connected to another threat earlier in the day.
At around 2 p.m., UCSP reported that Mel J. Horne, a 44-year-old man from DC, was apprehended for allegedly trying to bring a machete and three knives through the security checkpoint at the north doors of the Capitol Visitor Center.
The authorities apprehended him and pressed charges for possessing numerous dangerous weapons. The USCP mentioned that their investigators are also diligently working to ascertain Horne’s motive.
The Horne incident caused a temporary shutdown of the north-side checkpoint for approximately an hour. However, this did not disrupt the viewing of the lying in state ceremony for President Jimmy Carter.