United States Capitol Police have identified a 35-year-old Virginia man, Adrian J. Hinton, as the suspect arrested for allegedly trying to light a car on fire outside the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. The incident occurred at around 5:30 p.m. when Hinton allegedly put a flaming bag on top of a car near the Grant Memorial. The bag burned out without igniting anything else, according to authorities.
Hinton is facing charges of unlawful activities. The bag contained accelerants, and Hinton’s vehicle was spray-painted, according to Capitol Police.
This was one of two threatening incidents at the Capitol on Wednesday, when President-elect Donald Trump visited to pay his respects to former President Jimmy Carter, who was lying in state. A second man, Mel J. Horne, 44, was arrested after allegedly attempting to carry a machete and three knives through a security checkpoint at the Capitol Visitor Center.
The U.S. Capitol Police chief stated that the two incidents did not appear to be connected. Neither arrest disrupted the service for Carter.
Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died on December 29 at the age of 100. He was scheduled to lie in state from Tuesday evening until Thursday morning. Five living presidents, including outgoing President Joe Biden, were expected to attend his funeral on Thursday.