A staff member in the office of U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales died after setting herself on fire Wednesday on Capitol grounds. Witnesses say she doused herself with gasoline before the act.
Emergency responders arrived on scene and provided medical aid, but the woman was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Capitol Police are investigating the incident and have restricted access to the area.
Representatives for Gonzales expressed condolences to the woman’s family and said the incident was “traumatic” for staff. They confirmed the staffer was employed in his D.C. office, but no additional details about her identity or motive have yet been released.