Washington, Investigate bomb threat near Capitol

In Washington, Capitol Police issued a bomb threat alert for a suspicious vehicle near the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill.

The area around the building, near the Capitol and the Supreme Court of Justice, has been evacuated. The Cannon House office building has also been evacuated. However, it has been confirmed that, although there were state and congressional officials in these venues, the congressmen are on rest this week.

A suspicious vehicle near the United States Capitol building and the Library of Congress in Washington was being investigated for possible explosives, police said, asking people to leave the area.

The United States Capitol Police “is mobilizing for a suspicious vehicle near the Library of Congress,” the institution reported on Twitter. “This is an active bomb threat investigation.”
The FBI reported that it also joined the investigation.

Both the Senate and House of Representatives are currently in recess, but staff are working in the Capitol complex.

Police are “sending negotiators to speak to a man in a truck who is making this threat,” CNN said, citing a law enforcement source.

Law enforcement agencies have not confirmed this latest information, but are calling on people to avoid the area around the Library of Congress, which is across from the Capitol – the seat of Congress – across a street and a park.

The main headquarters of the Library of Congress was evacuated, as was a Senate office building, according to media. It was also reported that the headquarters of the Republican Party, which is in the neighborhood, was evacuated.

The Capitol compound has been under heavy security since a deadly assault on January 6 by supporters of former Republican President Donald Trump.