U.S. Capitol Police arrested a man Wednesday on suspicion of attempting to set a car on fire near the Capitol as President-elect Donald Trump visited Republican lawmakers and paid tribute to the late former President Jimmy Carter.
The disturbing incident occurred in front of the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial shortly before 5:30 p.m., as President Trump, 78, was arriving at the Capitol.
Capitol Police said officers received a call about a man who had parked in front of the monument and set a bag on fire on top of his car.
When officers ran to the car, the bag “disappeared on its own” and the man was arrested.
The Capitol Police Dangerous Incident Unit inspected the vehicle and determined it was not dangerous by 7 p.m.
Authorities said the car had been spray painted and investigators found accelerant inside the bag.
The driver of the vehicle, an unidentified 35-year-old Virginia man, was arrested on suspicion of unlawful conduct, according to Capitol Police.
The man's motive is not clear, but police say there was no ongoing threat.
of daily wire Grounds staff first reported seeing the man trying to light something on fire inside his car.
“I have napalm and I'm going to set it on fire,” the man told the workers.
The incident occurred just hours after Capitol Police arrested Mel J. Horn, 44, on suspicion of trying to sneak a machete and three knives into the Capitol Visitor Center.
The weapon was discovered by a police officer operating an X-ray scanner at the entrance to the Capitol.
Horn was charged with multiple counts of possession of a dangerous weapon.
Capitol Police indicated they do not believe the two incidents are related.
“Today, our officers twice stopped a man who posed a potential danger to the Capitol community,” Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Munger said in a statement.
“This vigilance is extremely important at this time of heightened security,” he added.
Trump is scheduled to be inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States on January 20th.
