Police at the U.S. Capitol arrested a D.C. man they said threw a Molotov cocktail at officers. Bernard L. McCutcheon, 26, of D.C., was charged with two counts of assault on a police officer, one count of possession of a Molotov cocktail and one count of assault with a deadly weapon.
U.S. Capitol Police said that on Wednesday around 3:30 p.m., patrol officers got a report that someone had Molotov cocktails along Massachusetts Avenue NW, just west of North Capitol Street. McCutcheon threw one of the Molotov cocktails at the officers while trying to light it, a Capitol Police news release said. He then tried to get away but was stopped by police. McCutcheon dropped the other crude bomb that was made with a tequila bottle stuffed with a sock and a liquid, later determined to be a petroleum-based accelerant, Capitol Police said.
USCP officers arrested a man with two Molotov cocktails around 3:30 p.m. along Massachusetts Avenue, west of North Capitol Street.
There is no indication this was related to the Capitol, Members of Congress, or any protests. More details to come in a news release this evening. pic.twitter.com/OuEXgFGfCc — U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) July 6, 2022
Two officers were treated for minor injuries, acting Assistant Chief of Police for Uniformed Operations Sean Gallagher said in a statement. In addition to the two Molotov cocktails, police also found a backpack that had two other bottles of liquid at the scene. There is no indication the man was targeting the U.S. Capitol or members of Congress, and police also do not believe that the man was involved in any protests in the area.