The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has identified the suspect who allegedly rammed a vehicle into the front gate of the FBI Atlanta Headquarters on Monday, according to reports.
The driver was identified as Ervin Lee Bolling, a Navy veteran from South Carolina.
FBI says a driver rammed a vehicle into the front gate of its Atlanta office https://t.co/AFTiPGyrxh
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 2, 2024
In a televised press conference, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis shared that the driver attempted to follow an employee into the facility before hitting the closing barricade.
Ellis also added that agents and bomb technicians checked the vehicle as a precaution as part of the agency’s standard operating procedures.
When asked about the possibility of this being a terrorist attack, Ellis stated he couldn’t confirm any indications of such motives at this point.
According to the FBI, the facility’s barricades were deployed to stop the vehicle. The suspect then got out of the vehicle and tried to enter the facility. The agents in the car he tried to follow detained him. Two other agents leaving the facility for lunch also assisted with the arrest.
According to NBC News, Ellis also said agents are properly trained to prepare for such a scenario. Pop-up wedge barriers are widely deployed at federal facilities such as military bases and FBI offices.
According to the outlet, the pop-up wedge barriers are often rated by federal entities for their ability to stop vehicles based on their weight and speed upon potential impact.
The suspect, who is not associated with the FBI facility, was taken to a local area hospital for evaluation. He was charged with interference with government property and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for a mental evaluation.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a police spokesperson revealed that the department has secured warrants for interference with government property following Bolling’s arrest.
However, the motives for the incident are not yet clear. Meanwhile, officials are considering filing state and federal charges.
Reports have it that this incident comes two weeks after the FBI Atlanta field office conducted a tabletop exercise with personnel to test procedures for responding to an unauthorized entry.