The woman arrested at the US Capitol on Wednesday for trying to 'ram' her car into a police cruiser has been identified as 20-year-old Taleah Everett.

The woman's family revealed that she struggles with mental health and 'desperately' needed help.

They appealed to a judge to order an emergency health evaluation a week ago but it was turned down.

Everett's outburst caused pandemonium in Washington DC on Wednesday.

Taleah Everett, 20, was arrested on Wednesday after driving her car into a police cruiser in an alleged attempt to run over police officers

Shots were fired after the initial crash and buildings went int o lock down as she was led away by police.

Her aunt told NBC that she suffered bipolar depression. She said the family appealed to a judge to order a health evaluation but their request was turned down.

'We know that she needs help. Unfortunately the judge didn’t see that, and this is the result of her not getting the care that we know she desperately needed,' she said.

'It began when police noticed her driving erratically near 100 Independence Ave around 9.22am on Wednesday, according to Capitol Police spokesperson Eva Malecki.

They ordered her to stop, but she made a U-turn and fled, hitting a police cruiser in the process, Malecki said.

Everett was led away in to a police van on Wednesday morning after crashing her car

She turned to face them as they escorted her in to the van. Her family said she suffers from mental illness and 'desperately' needs help

They say Everett also tried to run over several officers who were pursuing her on foot.

Police opened fire in an attempt to stop her, and witness Scott Ferson said he heard two quick shots, followed by a brief pause before a third one rang out.

While no one was hit, photographs from the scene show two bullet holes in the windshield of her car.

Everett was finally taken into custody by 9.45am near Washington and Independence Avenues. She has not been identified.

Malecki called the incident 'criminal in nature' but said there was no apparent link to terrorism.

Dozens of police cars responded to the scene at Washington Avenue and Independence Avenue near the US Botanic Garden

There are no immediate reports of injuries. Doug Buchanan of the DC Fire Department said ambulances arrived at the scene but did not take anyone to the hospital.

Dozens of police cars swarmed the area, and Independence Avenue between Washington Avenue and 1st Street SW is still closed.

An alert was issued around 9:33am telling lawmakers to steer clear of the area and several buildings were placed on lock down, although they have since been lifted.

The FBI assisted Capitol Police at the scene, and an investigation is ongoing.

House Speaker Paul Ryan issued a statement after the incident, saying: 'We are grateful today and every day for the valor and dedication of the Capitol Police.'

Independence Avenue between Washington Avenue and 1st Street SW is still closed

Lawmakers were advised to steer clear of the area and several buildings were briefly placed on lock down although those have since been lifted

The car was later towed from the scene. Pictured in the bottom right corner, a car bumper

Just yesterday, Secret Service agents cleared the White House's North Lawn Tuesday morning after a man reportedly said he had a bomb while President Donald Trump was home.

On March 19, a driver reportedly pulled up to the White House and claimed to have a bomb in the car early Sunday.

It is not clear if there was an actual explosive device in the vehicle. The driver was taken into custody and security was upgraded at the White House.

SECURITY THREATS AT THE WHITE HOUSE THIS MONTH Just yesterday, Secret Service agents cleared the White House's North Lawn Tuesday morning after a man reportedly said he had a bomb while President Donald Trump was home. On March 19, a driver pulled up to the White House and claimed to have a bomb in the car early Sunday. It is not clear if there was an actual explosive device in the vehicle. The driver was taken into custody and security was upgraded at the White House. The incident came right off the back of another security threat the day before. A person jumped over a bike rack into a buffer zone in front of the White House, although he was not able to make it over the fence. On March 10, Jonathan Tran, 26, scaled a perimeter fence at the White House and evaded Secret Service agents for about 17 minutes before he was apprehended. Advertisement

The incident came right off the back of another security threat the day before. A person jumped over a bike rack into a buffer zone in front of the White House, although he was not able to make it over the fence.

On March 10, Jonathan Tran, 26, scaled a perimeter fence at the White House and evaded Secret Service agents for about 17 minutes before he was apprehended.

Authorities found two cans of Mace on Tran, including one inside his jacket pocket, according to a criminal complaint filed in US District Court.

Tran was also carrying a US passport, an Apple laptop computer, a book written by Mr Trump and a letter he had written to the president, the complaint said

Almost exactly one year ago, police shot a man after he pulled a weapon at a US Capitol checkpoint.

The suspect was previously known to police, since he had been arrested for disrupting House of Representatives proceedings and yelling he was a 'Prophet of God.'

And in 2013, Miriam Carey, a 34-year-old dental hygienist from Connecticut, was shot and killed by Capitol Police officers in her vehicle outside the Hart Senate Office Building.

Officers had pursued Carey from the White House, where she made a U-turn at a security checkpoint.

Her young daughter was inside the car at the time and was unharmed. Her family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Secret Service and Capitol Police.