By Bronte Price, PoliticKING
Gunfire was heard on Capitol Hill earlier today when a police officer shot a gunman inside the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center on Monday afternoon. At around 2:40 p.m., an unknown male entered the visitor center below the Capitol grounds with a gun. The Capitol’s sergeant-at-arms stated the “shooter has been caught” and a U.S. Capitol Police officer was "shot, but not seriously." According to reports, a female bystander was also injured in the gunfire.
U.S. Capitol police announced that the lockdown there has been lifted https://t.co/JUR5Y5KaFmhttps://t.co/myvjAZFDZP
— CNN (@CNN) March 28, 2016
The Capitol and nearby buildings were placed on lockdown for less than an hour before an all clear order was issued. "Per USCP, shelter in place has been lifted and the Capitol is open for official business only. Capitol Visitor Center remains closed," the Senate Sergeant at Arms tweeted.
Per USCP, shelter in place has been lifted and the Capitol is open for official business only. Capitol Visitor Center remains closed. #alert
— SenateSergeantAtArms (@SenateSAA) March 28, 2016
Emergency responders swarmed the entrance of the visitor center at the front of the building, which is currently packed with tourists and students, since this week is spring break for many people. Congressional staffers were sent a notice to shelter in place, and were instructed to lock their doors and move to assigned shelter areas. People who were outside the buildings on the Capitol complex were told to "seek cover away from the area."
Ironically, the day began with a scheduled lockdown drill. "THIS IS A DRILL," an early morning memo notified Capitol staffers. "EXERCISE EXERCISE." However soon after the drill, the real event transpired.
According to a notice sent to Senate staffers, no other suspects appear to be at large,
"There has been an isolated incident at the U.S. Capitol. There is no active threat to the public," the D.C. Police Department tweeted.
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