29 March 2017•Update: 30 March 2017
By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON
A female suspect was taken into custody Wednesday after police said she struck a police cruiser and nearly ran over officers who were on foot near the Capitol building.
Capitol Police identified the suspect as 20-year-old Taleah Everett.
She has been charged with seven counts of assaulting a police officer; two counts of destroying property; fleeing police; hit and run; and a single charge of lacking a permit.
A Washington D.C. police spokeswoman said there was a call of shots fired at 9:30 a.m. local time (1330GMT) on Independence Avenue, which runs along the south side of the U.S. Capitol.
U.S. Capitol Police attempted to stop Everett at approximately 9:22 a.m. (1322 GMT) as she drove erratically and aggressively, according to spokeswoman Eva Malecki.
During the attempted stop, Everett made a U-turn, fleeing police and "nearly striking officers and struck at least one other vehicle", she said. The vehicle was ultimately stopped at Washington and Independence Ave. Southwest.
Shots were fired during the course of the arrest by Capitol Police, but no one was injured, Malecki said.
Capitol Police are currently leading the investigation into the matter. Malecki said the incident appears to be criminal in nature "with no nexus to terrorism".
The Capitol building remains open and nearby traffic returned to normal at 12:14 p.m. (1414 GMT).
Everett is being held at Capitol Police headquarters for processing.
