Capitol bomb threat: Suspect in police custody after hours-long standoff and demand to speak with Biden
US Capitol Police arrest Floyd Ray Roseberry following five-hour standoff
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox
Get our free Inside Washington email
A man suspected of initiating a bomb threat in Washington DC has surrendered to law enforcement following a nearly five-hour standoff.
Floyd Ray Roseberry, 49, from Grover in southern North Carolina, brought the nation’s capital to a standstill after streaming his rambling threats to Facebook while parked on the pavement outside the Library of Congress.
US Capitol Police reported that a bomb was not recovered from the truck but “but possible bomb making materials were collected” after Mr Roseberry’s arrest.
He reportedly told a Capitol Police officer at the scene that he had a bomb, and “the officer noticed what appeared to be a detonator in the man’s hand,” according to Capitol Police.
Roseberry “was communicating by holding up hand-written signs through the front, driver-side window,” police said.
Officers then gave him a phone “in hopes of trying to continue the dialogue.”
Following an hours-long standoff, he followed officers’ instructions and crawled away from the truck.
Nearby Capitol office buildings were evacuated. Both the House and the Senate are on recess, meaning most lawmakers are in their home states, but staffers and Library of Congress employees were working near the scene, prompting the evacuations. Police also went door to door to alert residents in the area.
An eyewitness says she saw a man in a black pickup truck in front of the Library of Congress shouting that he had “a bomb” while tossing dollar bills out of the window.
Sydney Bobb, 22, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said she was on her way to a race in politics class near the Library of Congress at about 9.25am when she noticed the man in the vehicle.
“I was walking on that block because that’s where I go to class. He was shouting that he had a bomb. And then he threw money out the side of the truck,” Ms Bobb told The Independent by phone as she was being evacuated from her class.
The FBI and Department of Justice are assisting with the case.
RNC building evacuated as police respond to active bomb threat outside Library of Congress
The White House has said that they’re monitoring the situation and is being briefed by law enforcement.
A day before the Capitol riot on 6 January, pipebombs were placed outside both of the Washington, DC headquarters of the RNC and the DNC.
‘Expect delays’ on Metro as shuttle buses requested following police investigation of bomb threat
Heavily armed officer in gas mask at scene as construction workers leave buildings surrounding bomb threat
Supreme Court evacuate following active bomb threat
The Supreme Court building has been evacuated following the active bomb threat investigation outside the Library of Congress, CNN reported. The court, as well as Congress, are currently on recess.
The Supreme Court building is still closed to the public due to the pandemic.
Press staging area set up on opposite side of Capitol as Metropolitan police joins investigation
Suspect seemingly communicating with police using a dry erase board
The suspect in the pickup truck claiming to have an explosive device seems to be communicating with police using a dry erase board, according to Pete Williams of NBC News.
Law enforcement says officers who have been close to vehicle have not seen any explosive device
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies