One Bystander Injured in Capitol Shooting
According to the AP, both Congress and the White House are on lockdown after a gunman shot a police officer outside of the Capitol building.
Reports of the shooting, which apparently occurred near the Visitor’s Center, broke around 2:40 p.m., when reporters on the scene were told by Capitol Police they had to stay inside. According to The Hill’s Scott Wong, police also told tourists to run away from the Capitol.
Capitol police tell the AP one Capitol police offer was shot and hospitalized with a non-life threatening wound. The shooter is now in custody. [UPDATE: The AP is now reporting that the injury was actually sustained by a female bystander who was injured when a Capitol police officer fired at the shooter, who reportedly pulled a weapon at a security checkpoint.)
Acc to @PeteWilliamsNBC: person entered CVC, pointed gun at police officer, officer fired single shot at suspect, suspect taken to hospital
— Erika Masonhall (@ErikaMasonhall) March 28, 2016
As the Washington Post’s Carl Hulse points out, the Capitol Visitor Center where the shooting occurred was actually built as a security measure after a shooter killed two police officers in 1998.
In an apparent coincidence, an email went out last week advising employees there would be a lockdown today as part of a security drill.
The drill was earlier this am. Senate staff has been informed this is NOT a drill. https://t.co/NcqKyp5zlf
— Ann Marie Hauser (@amhauser) March 28, 2016
Update 3:25 p.m.
