White House, US Capitol Briefly Locked Down After Shots Fired at Visitor Center

Washington, D.C., police call shooting “isolated incident” and there was “no active threat to the public”

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Emergency vehicles at U.S. Capitol Building

Gunshots rang out at the visitor center at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Monday afternoon, and police responded by putting the Capitol and White House in lockdown while they assessed the situation.

CNN reported that the lockdown order lifted about an hour later.

The Associated Press reported that one Capitol police officer was shot at the Capitol Visitor Center and that the shooter, who was shot by police, was captured and is in custody. The shooting was described as not serious.

CNN also reported that a female bystander was injured by shrapnel and that the male suspect was headed to a local hospital.

Staffers inside the government buildings were instructed to remain in place. Those outside were told to take cover.

The D.C. Police called it an isolated incident at the Capitol and that there is “no active threat to the public.”

 

Congress is currently in recess and many lawmakers are not in Washington today.

President Obama and Michelle Obama welcomed more than 35,000 people to the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House earlier on Monday, and there are no reports that those festivities were disrupted.

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