Richard Aaron York, 29, drove his car into a vehicle barricade at East Capitol Street and Second Street around 4 a.m., the spokesperson said in a news release. When he got out of the car, it became engulfed in flames. He then began shooting into the air.
Capitol police investigators are looking into the man’s background and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the death, according to authorities. They said a Delaware driver’s license was found and that the suspect was believed to have lived in Pennsylvania recently.
A man fatally shot himself outside the U.S. Capitol early Sunday after crashing his car into a barricade and opening fire as his car caught fire, police said. The unidentified man escaped his burning vehicle and fired several shots into the air just after 4 a.m. as officers hurried to the scene on the east side of the Capitol, U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement.
Officers were approaching the man when he shot himself. No one else was hurt, authorities said.
“At this time, it does not appear the man was targeting any Members of Congress, who are on recess, and it does not appear officers fired their weapons,” Capitol Police said.
