Early in the afternoon on April 2, suspect Noah Green hit two Capitol police officers with his car. This was a fatal incident, resulting in the death of William Evans, an officer tasked with protecting the Capitol. 

Due to the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, many believed that this attack was politically motivated. However, this attack seems to have been a product of mental illness. 

Green had allegedly been struggling with delusions, paranoia and suicidal thoughts. These mental illnesses led Green to claim that he was under government mind control. He believed that he was under watch as well. 

In a post from March of this year, Green wrote, “To be honest these past few years have been tough, and these past few months have been tougher.” 

Officials believe that he was referring to his struggles with mental illness and delusions. 

The insurrection had spiked calls for extra security in and around the Capitol, including a large fence put up around the perimeter. Right before this new incident, officials had been working towards slowly taking away emergency measures, as they believe the people’s house should be open and available again at some point. Sadly, these precautions have to be put back up in response to the latest attack.

Finding Green’s exact motive has been hard though, due to the fact that he was shot and killed by another officer after threatening them with a knife. Although he was rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead later on. 

Upon further investigation, Green was seen at District Cutlery, a knife shop not far from the Capitol, just 90 minutes prior to the attack. Green had purchased a large, $300 kitchen knife before leaving the store. This blade was the same one involved with Green’s outburst. 

Officer William Evans was the second officer to have died while protecting the Capitol. 

Evans’ family released a statement saying, “Billy was the best father, son, brother, and friend anyone could ever hope for. His death has left a gaping void in our lives that will never be filled.” 

The family also said that his children were the most important people to him. He would often play board games, have lightsaber duels and make crafts with his children. For Officer Evans’ duty at the Capitol and other places alike, he will lie in honor at the Capitol rotunda. 

Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer also spoke on this topic saying, “In giving his life to protect our Capitol and our Country, Officer Evans became a martyr for our democracy. On behalf of the entire Congress, we are profoundly grateful.” 

Though the pandemic is still raging on, a ceremony will be held on April 13. Only invited guests are permitted to attend, and there will be a viewing for both guests and members of Congress.