South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., joined “America Reports” in the aftermath of the incursion of the Capitol complex that occurred Friday.
Sources identified the suspect as Noah Green, 25. Green, who is from Indiana and also has ties to Virginia, struck law enforcement officers and rammed a barricade outside the Russell Senate Office Building, near Constitution and Delaware Avenues NE.
Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman confirmed one of two officers injured in the incident has been pronounced dead. The suspect was also killed.
Scott, who was in Charleston at the time, said his staff in the nearby Hart Senate Office Building is safe.
Scott, joined the program moments before Pittman made the announcement, said he still feels very safe and thankful for the daily bravery of the USCP.
He urged the public to take special time to pray on this Good Friday for the officers of USCP, given their selfless actions this afternoon.
Scott also said that he hopes the apparent attack will not lead to any more drastic security measures such as the barricades placed after right-wing activists invaded the main Capitol building on January 6.
“I think in the last few minutes you articulated three or four incidents that were the lone wolves acting by themselves with a desire to do harm [who were] stopped in the tracks because of trained professionals,” Scott told host John Roberts.
“With that as a backdrop, I am very comfortable and I feel safe in eliminating some of the barriers on the exterior of the Capitol. It’s time to move forward and frankly I have confidence in law enforcement to take care of us as they do their job as a mission.”
“If you think about where we are as a nation, I’m happy we have very capable law enforcement officers who are able to secure the Capitol. The presence of the National Guard — as thankful as I am for people who are willing to put their lives on the line — I think continuing to draw those troops down and sending them home is important.
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He suggested that the guardsmen stationed at the Capitol could be better utilized at the Mexican border as well as being refocused to “existential threats.”
“I hope we don’t jump off the deep end and make it more important that my life as a senator is secured but your life as an individual is not,” he later added. “I think we should take seriously the panoramic view of our nation… and it starts with the integrity and the truth in conversations we are having. We need to learn to agree to disagree without being disagreeable. If we do a better job with that the nation would benefit from if positive leadership — especially on Good Friday.”
Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
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