Man Arrested in SUV Near Supreme Court

No weapons are found, but driver reportedly told police it was too late to talk
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 5, 2021 1:10 PM CDT
Police Arrest Man Parked at Supreme Court
The Supreme Court building in Washington on Monday.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A man was arrested Tuesday morning after parking an SUV illegally in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington, DC, Capitol Police said. He declined to speak to officers sent to his vehicle beyond telling them something along the lines of "the time for talking is done," said Jason Bell, deputy chief of the Capitol Police. Crisis negotiation officers were then dispatched, Reuters reports, but got nowhere. Police then used a flash bang to try to drive the man from the SUV. Officers eventually arrested him. He was identified as Dale Paul Melvin, 55, of Kimball, Michigan, per CBS. No weapons were found.

"Everyone is safe," Capitol Police tweeted, per CNBC. The arrest didn't interrupt court proceedings; oral arguments began on time at 10am. Police already had shut down streets around the building, which is closed to visitors, and asked the public to stay away on the second day of the court's new term. Security on Capitol Hill was heavy, with dozens of officers and police dogs patrolling. Another man who was arrested in the area last month had a court hearing scheduled for later Tuesday; his standoff with police lead to the evacuation of the Supreme Court and other buildings. (More US Supreme Court stories.)

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