“Heroic” Actions by D.C. Police Lead to Unfortunate Consequence

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sirens echoed through downtown Washington on Thursday Oct. 3, as police and Secret Service vehicles raced towards the White House. The end result of a high-speed police chase through the nation’s capital left two officers injured, and a female suspect dead.

Thirty-four-year-old Connecticut woman Miriam Carey attempted to ram through a White House barricade in her black Infiniti Sedan.  When Secret Service and police officials starting shooting, Carey drove away towards the Capitol Building with police and Secret Service in hot pursuit.

As information flooded through to the public from eyewitness testimony, many were left wondering if the suspect in question was a terrorist or a confused driver.

In a press conference, Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan gave the facts that took several hours to uncover.

“At about 14:12 hours today, a black Infiniti Sedan struck temporary security fencing, and one of our uniformed division officers at an outer perimeter checkpoint of the White House,” Donovan said.  He went on to say the vehicle fled east on Pennsylvania Avenue, and multiple gunshots were fired at several locations.

The chase ended at the 100 block of Maryland Avenue where police were able to capture Carey, but not before a police vehicle in pursuit hit a barricade injuring an officer.

“I personally spoke with the officer and he is doing well,” said U.S. Capitol Police Chief Kim Dine.

Carey was pronounced dead shortly after the chase ended.  It was then revealed that a small child was in the backseat and that Carey was unarmed.

“There was a 1-year-old child in the car,” Dine said.  “I believe actually one of our officers initially rescued the child and took the child to initial medical care in the vicinity here.”

Carey was a dental hygienist in Stamford, Conn. and had a history of mental illness. She suffered from post-partum depression after the birth of her daughter Erica. In the months following, Carey experienced severe depression, which resulted in hospitalization.

Family members thought Carey was going to a doctor’s appointment with daughter Erica. They were shocked to learn where she had actually had gone. Carey’s motive is still unknown. There has been some speculation she was obsessed with President Obama whom she believed had been stalking her.

The Capitol Police that were involved in the chase and investigations were actually unpaid officers.  Having been deemed essential, the Capitol Police were required to work while not knowing if they would receive pay.  One of the officers injured during the chase was unpaid also.  All of the officers involved did their job instinctually without thought of back pay.

“Both the Secret Service and Capitol Police officers, from what I have seen so far in this investigation, acted heroically in trying to stop the suspect from entering the security perimeters at both locations,” said Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier.