The U.S. Capitol Shooter Claimed To Be A ‘Prophet From God’ In A Previous Visit To The House Of Representatives

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On Monday morning, police wounded a man who brandished a firearm in the visitors center of the United States Capitol building, otherwise known as the seat of the legislative branch of our government.

USA Today reports that after the would-be shooter waved a gun at the Capitol Visitors Center, U.S. Capitol Police shot him. Another woman sustained minor injuries from “flying shrapnel or debris.”

According to The Daily Beast, the suspect is believed to be Larry Russell Dawson of Antioch, Tenn. Dawson had previously created a disturbance last year, yelling that he was a “prophet of God” from the balcony of the House of Representatives. He was arrested for assaulting a police officer, and according to the police report, also resisted arrest.

Here’s video of the October incident:

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Capitol Police wouldn’t confirm that the suspect from today was indeed Dawson, but had referenced a previous run-in with whomever it is. The suspect is currently undergoing surgery.

This incident actually happened in a part of the Capitol that was built to protect personnel from shooters. As the Washington Post reports, the visitors center was built to help regulate visitor flow after a fatal 1998 shooting at the Capitol, and provide a means of evacuation if needed.

(Via USA Today, Daily Beast, and Washington Post)

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