Capitol Police Stop Man Who 'Smelled Like Fuel' Armed With Torch and Flare Gun Near Visitor Center On Election Day

A man was arrested at the Capitol Visitor Center on Tuesday due to concerning items in his possession, according to United States Capitol Police.

The unidentified man allegedly "smelled like fuel, had a torch, and a flare gun." It is unclear whether he planned to protest peacefully or not.

Capitol Police also confirmed that the Capitol Visitor Center was closed down while they investigated the man and his belongings.

"Our officers just arrested a man who was stopped during our screening process at the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). The man smelled like fuel, had a torch & a flare gun," U.S. Capitol Police wrote to X (formerly Twitter). "The CVC is closed for tours for the day, while we investigate. We will provide more information when we can."

Capitol Police further confirmed that the man's vehicle was located at 9th and Maryland Avenue, NE. The area has since been cleared. They also announced a press briefing which would occur outside of the Capitol Visitor Center at First & East Capitol Street, NE, around 3 p.m.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to meet at the Capitol briefly at 5 p.m. today for a pro forma session. Not all members of the lower chamber of Congress are expected to attend.

The arrival of election day is accompanied with heightened security measures across Washington D.C. as officials prepare for political violence similar to the riots occurring at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI released a joint bulletin warning people about the increased possibility of attacks on public institutions, stating that domestic violence extremists (DVEs) are expected to attempt to use violent means to disrupt election proceedings.

"DVEs continue to create, exploit, and promote narratives about the election process or legal decisions involving political figures, and we are concerned that these grievances could motivate some DVEs to engage in violence, as we saw during the 2020 election cycle," reads the bulletin.

This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for further developments.