A video shared on social media appeared to show a dark Sedan smashed against a security cordon painted with the word “Stop”, with the officers lying on the ground nearby.
A sniffer dog was on the scene checking for explosives before police cleared the area.
Stretchers were seen removing the wounded from the area and a helicopter landing in front of the east side of the Capitol building.
Neither the House or Senate is in session this week with lawmakers back in their home states over the Easter break.
President Joe Biden had left to spend the holiday at Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland shortly before the incident occurred.
Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, said there is a member of the national security team, an acting chief of staff and a member of the press team travelling with him, as is standard operating procedure.
When the incident occurred, police alerted remaining staff members: “Due to an external security threat located All U.S. Capitol Campus Buildings , no entry or exit is permitted at this time. You may move throughout the building(s) but stay away from exterior windows and doors. If you are outside, seek cover.”
The National Guard, which has been stationed in Washington DC since the January 6 storming of the Capitol by mainly Donald Trump supporters, was seen returning to the building following Friday’s incident.
Police searched the car for explosives
The incident occurred about 100 yards from the entrance of the building on the Senate side of the Capitol. Fencing that prevented traffic near that area was recently removed as the Capitol has started to open up after the riots.
Constitution Avenue was shut off and was being guarded by dozens of soldiers and a large exclusion zone was set up around the Capitol.
The Capitol has been on heightened security alert since January, when supporters of Donald Trump stormed the building in an attempt to overturn his election defeat. Five people died as a direct result of the attack.
The incident is the latest security alert in DC. On March 17 police arrested a Texas man outside vice president Kamala Harris's official residence, the US Naval Observatory, after a rifle and ammunition was found in his car.
Police said Paul Murray, 31, a veteran from San Antonio, Texas was in possession of a "large capacity ammunition feeding device."
Police reports said he was in possession of an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, 113 rounds of unregistered ammunition, and five 30 round magazines.
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