Crime & Safety

Shooting Near U.S. Capitol After High-Speed Chase from White House; Officer Injured

Reports say one injured at Capitol Hill shooting.

A police officer was injured and theU.S. Capitol and neighboring government buildings went into lockdown Thursday afternoon when gunshots were fired on Capitol Hill following a high-speed car chase from the White House.

The officer was injured when his cruiser was struck by a woman fleeing police in a late-model black car, apparently with a child inside, police said.

The chase began at a checkpoint to get onto the White House grounds and ended about 2:20 p.m. outside the Hart Senate Office building with the shots fired. The driver of the car was apprehended, police said, but they had no condition report.

The Capitol building was placed on lockdown just after the shots wer fired, according to the Associated Press. It was lifted less than an hour later.

Tourist Edmund Ofori-Attah told the AP he walked toward the car when it crashed.

"Then I heard the gunfire" and hit the ground, he said.

CNN reported the injured officer was air-lifted to the hospital.

Scenes of roads closed and dozens of police cars and other emergency vehicles were strikingly reminiscent of the scene just a short distance away, at the Washington Navy Yard, where 12 people were gunned down and killed less than three weeks ago.

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-Westchester/Bronx) tweeted his thanks to the Capitol police for their quick action. "Thank you to the brave men and women of the US Capitol Police. Thoughts and prayers to those injured in this terrible incident."

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Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly was standing on a balcony of the U.S. Capitol with Rep. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania when they heard two bursts of gunfire coming from the direction of the Rayburn Office Building, The Washington Postreported.

“It was almost like two very rapid fire bursts, very loud,” Connolly told the Post. “They were clearly coming from the direction. That’s when we saw people fleeing, and we realized this was no fireworks. It sounds liked the first volley of a 21 gun salute.”

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He said he could see people fleeing from the Rayburn building and police officers running toward it before he was shepherded back into the building. Connolly told the paper he was told by the Sergeant-at-Arms that a suspect has been apprehended.

Capitol Police had sent out the following advisory to staffers:

"SHELTER IN PLACE. Gunshots have been reported on Capitol Hill requiring all occupants in all House Office Buildings to shelter in place. Close, lock and stay away from external doors and windows. Take annunciators, Go Kits and escape hoods; and move to the innermost part of the office away from external doors or windows. If you are not in your office, take shelter in the nearest office, check in with your OEC and wait for USCP to clear the incident. No one will be permitted to enter or exit the building until directed by USCP. All staff should monitor the situation. Further information will be provided as it becomes available."


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