WASHINGTON - A U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman says a bomb squad has safely destroyed a pressure cooker found in a "suspicious" vehicle left unattended near the Capitol building and that the vehicle's owner has been arrested.
Sgt. Kimberly A. Schneider told The Associated Press 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 says an odor of gasoline was detected beforehand.
She says the vehicle owner, Israel Shimeles of Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested and charged with "operating after revocation" and was at Capitol Police headquarters. She earlier said that the driver had been arrested.