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Bomb threat suspect in DC surrenders to police after hours-long standoff

DC bomb threat
Posted at 9:19 AM, Aug 19, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-19 18:53:34-04

A standoff between police and a bomb threat suspect in Washington, D.C. has ended after several hours following the suspect's surrender, according to the Associated Press.

The U.S. Capitol Police later tweeted that the suspect, identified as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry of Grover, North Carolina has been taken into custody. During a brief press conference, officials said he was taken into custody "without incident."

The "active bomb threat investigation" prompted the evacuation of several buildings in D.C., including the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court and Cannon House Congressional Office Building

The situation began when police pulled over a black pickup truck because it had no license plates. Roseberry allegedly told officers there was a bomb in the vehicle, prompting the massive police response.

Police officials confirm that an officer believed the suspect was in possession of a detonator. That began several hours of negotiation before the suspect's surrender.

Officials said they initially tried to communicate with the suspect by writing messages on a whiteboard. They then tried to bring him a cell phone with the use of a bomb robot, though the suspect refused to use the phone.

Shortly after refusing to use the phone, at around 2:15 p.m. ET, police officials say Roseberry got out of his truck and surrendered to officials.

Law enforcement cleared the vehicle several hours later. However, they didn't say whether explosives were found inside.

The AP also reports that a Facebook Live video, purportedly taken by the suspect, surfaced online as police negotiated with Roseberry. In the video, the man, sitting in a car, made anti-government threats and called on President Joe Biden to resign.

The FBI's Washington Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also responded to the situation.

The incident comes just over six months after thousands of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a massive security breach. Fencing that had been put up following the riots was removed this summer.

Both Congress and the Supreme Court are currently on summer recess, however, police said people were still working in the buildings.