The man who rammed his vehicle into two police officers at a barricade outside the Capitol, killing one of them before being shot by police, suffered hallucinations, paranoia and suicidal tendencies, an official source revealed to The Associated Press. Saturday.
Detectives suspect it was an isolated incident, the work of a deranged young man.
Video of the incident on Friday afternoon shows the driver getting out of the car with a knife in one hand and then running to the pair of officers, Capitol acting chief Yogananda Pittman told reporters. Officers shot the man, Noah Green, 25, who died in a hospital.
Investigators are focusing on Green’s mental health as they try to find the motives for the attack, said the source, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, as he was not allowed to discuss the matter publicly. He added that detectives spoke to Green’s relatives, who reported that Green was suffering from hallucinations.
Green described herself as a follower of the Nation of Islam and its founder, Louis Farrakhan, noting that as he went through a rough time, he leaned on his faith, according to recent reports posted online that have already been removed. The messages are collected by the SITE group, which tracks online activities.
“To be fair, the past few years have been tough, and the past months have been tougher,” he wrote. “I have been on trial against some of the greatest and most unimaginable challenges of my life. I am currently unemployed after leaving my job, partly because of torment, but ultimately looking for a spiritual journey. “
It was the second death this year of an element of the Capitol Police who continues to fight to recover from the January 6 uprising. The attack reveals that the building and area – as well as the agents assigned to protect them – remain potential targets for violent incidents.
Police identified the deceased officer as William Evans, an 18-year-old veteran who was a member of the department’s first aid unit.
The Washington region remains in suspense for nearly three months after a mob of insurgents loyal to former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building when Congress voted to confirm Biden’s victory in the presidential election.
Five people were killed in the January 6 attack, including Capitol agent Brian Sicknick, who was part of the small contingent of police trying to repel intruders.
Authorities installed a high perimeter barrier around the Capitol and restricted traffic on the streets near the site for months, but began relaxing some emergency measures. Barriers hindering car traffic near the area have recently been removed.