A man died after crashing his vehicle and opening fire near the United States Capitol in Washington DC.

The incident took place on early Sunday morning, just before 4 am, when 29-year-old Richard A. York III  plowed his car into a barricade located at 2nd Street and East Capitol Street.

After his car caught fire, the young man exited the vehicle and fired several shots into the air as the police began closing in on him. He then reportedly pointed the gun to himself and took his own life.

It has since come to light that York III was a drug addict with a lengthy rap sheet dating back to 2012. He had an active address in Delaware at the time of the incident.

According to the local reports, nobody else was injured in the shooting. It is believed that the officers on the scene did not fire at the armed man.

While the motive for the shooting remains unclear, the incident remains under investigation.

“It does not appear the man was targeting any member of Congress,” the police said as it was confirmed that the incident took place when both the Senate and House were in recess.

The shocking Washington D.C. episode comes just over a year after 25-year-old Noah Green plowed his vehicle into two cops at a checkpoint outside the Capitol building and killed Officer William ‘Billy’ Evans in the process.

Green then emerged from his vehicle and charged at another cop with a knife, prompting the officer to shoot him dead.

Following Evans’ death, it was revealed that the 41-year-old was a father of two and a dedicated cop who served in the force for 18 years.

Meanwhile, investigators concluded that Green was delusional and had suicidal thoughts prior to his attack on the Capitol checkpoint.

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