WASHINGTON -- A U.S. Capitol Police spokesman said a bomb squad safely destroyed a pressure cooker found in a "suspicious" vehicle left unattended near the Capitol building, and the vehicle's owner has been arrested.
Lt. Kimberly Schneider said by email that officers on patrol spotted the parked, unoccupied vehicle Sunday on a street on the National Mall west of the Capitol and that a bomb squad "disrupted the items of concern in the vehicle including the pressure cooker," producing a loud bang about 7:45 p.m.
She said an odor of gasoline was detected beforehand.
She said the vehicle owner, Israel Shimeles of Alexandria, Va., was found, arrested and charged with "operating after revocation," and was being processed at Capitol Police headquarters. She earlier said that the driver had been arrested.
A Section on 05/25/2015