Details are sparse as I write this at 2:30 ET but you can almost hear the sound of narratives being prepared as we wait for more information about who the driver is.

Or was, I should say. He was shot by Capitol Police and died at the hospital, according to NBC.

The only thing that seems certain at the moment is that this was a deliberate attack, not an accident.

The Capitol Police said a suspect was in custody following reports of the car crash into two officers on Constitution Avenue. After ramming the car into a barricade, the driver exited the vehicle and brandished a sharp object, prompting Capitol Police officers to shoot the driver, according to a person briefed on the incident. Both the injured officers and the suspect were transported to a nearby hospital…

Shortly after the lockdown, D.C. National Guard troops assigned to the Capitol were ordered to report to the unit’s armory if they were not already at the Capitol complex, according to correspondence obtained by POLITICO. A quick reaction force — the contingent of troops deputized in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack — was activated shortly before 1:30 p.m., suggesting that the threat was not yet over. A Pentagon official confirmed the deployment.

Capitol Police are reportedly using the word “attack” to describe it:

“We’ve been attacked,” one Capitol Police officer tells @jonallendc. pic.twitter.com/ziuPGoGEic

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 2, 2021

Congress is in recess right now but there are still some members and staff in and around the building. An interesting detail from the Times: “The attack came more than a week after officials removed a perimeter fence topped with razor wire that had been placed around the complex to guard against follow-up attacks, and re-opened the streets surrounding the Capitol to vehicle traffic.” Maybe that’s a coincidence or maybe the suspect took it as a sign that security was beginning to slacken, making the building more vulnerable. Either way, the rest of the fencing and the current National Guard presence isn’t going anywhere anytime soon now.

Around 3.5 dozen national guard troops marched to the barricade down the street from the scene.

They’re carrying shields and are fully armed. One officer told me they aren’t sure whether this remains an active shooter situation. pic.twitter.com/qpyin4NS1u

— Julie Tsirkin (@JulieNBCNews) April 2, 2021

There’s a report floating around that one cop might have been stabbed by the suspect before they shot him but I can’t find anything to corroborate that. The Daily Beast says two officers are “seriously hurt” but that’s the only details I’ve seen about their condition right now. Their injuries must have been dire, though, to produce a scene like the one below. Stand by for updates.

🚨🚨A helicopter just landed on the east front of the Capitol. I’ve never seen anything like this before. ever. pic.twitter.com/LxV0mywRSe

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) April 2, 2021

Large police presence and two stretchers being brought out pic.twitter.com/EmidoLP0PT

— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) April 2, 2021

Update: Fox says one of the injured officers has died.

From colleague Jacqui Heinrich: A law enforcement source tells Fox News one of the officers injured at the Capitol today has died of his injuries

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) April 2, 2021

We’re a quarter through 2021 and already it must be the worst year the Capitol Police have ever experienced.

Update: One suspicion kicking around on social media is that this was a Capitol rioter from January 6 who came back for another shot. But this would seem to point away from that:

Acting USCP Chief Pittman says suspect does not appear to be known to USCP

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) April 2, 2021

Update: NBC says it knows who the suspect is.

NBC's Pete Williams reports on @MSNBC: The suspect in Capitol Police incident is a 25 year old Indiana man named Noah Green. May have lived in Virginia. On his Facebook page, he notes that he is a follower of the Nation of Islam. Suspect is now dead.

— Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) April 2, 2021

Update: Rest in peace, Officer Evans.

Statement on the Loss of USCP Colleague Officer William "Billy" Evans: https://t.co/JMAEbTcbAp pic.twitter.com/DPvkAv5ptO

— U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) April 2, 2021