Suspect taken into custody after claiming to have bomb near Capitol

A suspect has been taken into custody by law enforcement hours after police said he parked a pickup truck near the Capitol and claimed to have a bomb, sparking evacuations of several nearby buildings.

Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger confirmed at a press conference on Thursday afternoon that the man, whom police identified as Floyd Roseberry of North Carolina, had surrendered to authorities. 

Footage obtained by NBC News appeared to show the man exiting the truck and crawling from the vehicle on the ground following negotiations with law enforcement.

He surrenders: pic.twitter.com/VJwbUB2P2N

— Haley Talbot (@haleytalbotnbc) August 19, 2021

Manger said earlier that officials had been negotiating with the man after the police department evacuated the Cannon House Office Building, the Library of Congress’s Jefferson Building and other buildings nearby to investigate the active bomb threat.

During negotiations, Manger said, law enforcement used a whiteboard to communicate with Roseberry, writing “messages back and forth.” He said they also used a robot to get a telephone transferred to him, which Roseberry declined to use. 

“But shortly after we had delivered the telephone, he got out of the vehicle and surrendered,” Manger said. He said Roseberry was apprehended by tactical units nearby that took him into custody without incident.

Manger said police were able to see a propane gas container on the truck. But he said officials have not yet been able to search his vehicle, adding they still need to “render it safe.”

“It will take hours to assess the scene,” he said.

Pressed if police uncovered Roseberry’s motive, Manger said law enforcement had spoke with his family and that he had been “dealing with” issues.

“We do know that Mr. Roseberry has had some losses of family. I believe his mother recently passed away,” he said. Manger didn’t divulge the “other issues” he said Roseberry was coping with, but said “there’ll be more on that.” 

Police will work with the U.S. attorney’s office, Manger said, on the criminal charges Roseberry could face. He also noted that officers were able to determine Roseberry had a criminal history in North Carolina, but he said it was “nothing that serious.”

He also said police currently have no indication he had any accomplices.

Manger said an investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

— Updated at 3:17 p.m.