The National Guard, which has maintained a presence on Capitol Hill for the reason that Jan. 6 assault, deployed what it called an immediate reaction force of troopers and airmen on Friday afternoon following a security incident that killed one Capitol Police officer and wounded a second.

The suspect, who rammed his car into the officers and exited the car holding a knife, was shot and killed. No National Guard troops have been injured in the assault.

Guard troops have been seen operating close to the Capitol complicated with riot gear following the assault. It is unclear precisely what number of troopers and airmen have been assigned to the reaction drive and it isn’t recognized how lengthy they’ll stay on the website.

According to an announcement from the Washington D.C. National Guard, the reaction drive was deployed on the request of the U.S. Capitol Police. The assertion declined to provide further particulars, citing operational safety issues.

In an interview, Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell, a Pentagon spokesman, mentioned that “slightly less than 2,300” Guard troops are presently assigned to defend the Capitol, down from the nearly 26,000 who got here to Washington, D.C., to assist present safety for President Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

Many of these troopers and airmen have been rapidly launched from their duties and despatched again dwelling following the inauguration, however in early March a request from the Capitol Police to retain a drive of greater than 2,200 Guard troops by May 23 was approved by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.





Source link