A Metropolitan Police Department cruiser blocks a street near the U.S. Capitol and a Library of Congress building in Washington on Thursday, August 19, 2021 while law enforcement officers investigate a report on a pickup truck with an explosive device.
Patrick Semansky | AP
The US Capitol Police are investigating an “active bomb threat” from a man in a truck parked near the Library of Congress Thursday that led to the evacuation of the library, the Supreme Court and a nearby House of Representatives office building.
The Capitol Police Twitter feed warned the public, “Please stay out of this area”.
Law enforcement officials told NBC News that they saw nothing that resembled explosives in the vehicle. But they also said the driver claimed he had explosives and was holding a detonator.
Two police officers told NBC that the man in the truck was communicating with local authorities by writing on a dry-erase board he had in the vehicle.
Bomb technicians from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on site alongside FBI negotiators.
A warning was issued to the people in the Cannon House office block asking them to leave that building and move to the Longworth House office block.
A spokeswoman for the Supreme Court said the courthouse had also been evacuated.
A Republican National Committee spokeswoman said the nearby RNC offices had also been evacuated.
The Congress is currently on hiatus. The Supreme Court does not meet either.
The White House was monitoring the situation and received updates from law enforcement.
Subways bypass the Capitol South station because of the investigation, said the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
On Thursday, August 19, 2021, people are being evacuated from the James Madison Memorial Building, a building belonging to the Library of Congress in Washington, as law enforcement officers investigate a report on a pickup truck with an explosive device near the U.S. Capitol.
Alex Brandon | AP
This is the latest news. Please check again for updates.
