Reports of Gunman Outside Capitol

[SlowwHand]

A little tension in D.C. ?

Witnesses reported hearing gunshots outside the Capitol after 2 p.m. Thursday, setting off a huge police response and heightened security inside the Capitol, which was already tense during shutdown negotiations.

“Gunshots have been reported on Capitol Hill requiring staff in all Senate office buildings to immediately shelter in place,” read an e-mail sent out by the Capitol Police. “Close, lock and stay away from external doors and windows. Take annunciators, emergency supply kits and escape hoods; and move to your office’s assigned shelter in place location or the innermost part of the office away from external doors or windows.”

Members not near their own offices were asked to go to the nearest office, and shelter there.

Capitol police officers could be seen with semiautomatic rifles drawn as they scrambled for position on the Capitol grounds.

Several senators were outside the Capitol when they reported between four and six shots fired. Police officers in a high-speed chase pulled over a black car in front of one of the Senate office buildings, but witnesses said a man fled on foot with a gun visible.

“I heard a pop-pop-pop, and we were told to get down,” said Senator Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania.

Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, said he saw people in the area drop to the ground, and Capitol police officers yelled for him, Mr. Casey and Senators Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Bernie Sanders of Vermont to lie on the ground.

http://www.nytimes.com/news/fiscal-c...capitol/?_r=0#!

[Dinner]

Any news on why he is shooting?

[Sava]

Any news on why he is shooting?

For freedom.

[regexcellent]

Supposedly an officer in "injured but not wounded" and whoever did it is in custody unharmed. The whole thing lasted all of 2 minutes. I suppose injured but not wounded means he hit his head on something? I dunno.

[The Mad Monk]

Shots fired at U.S. Capitol, one in custody
October 3, 2013 - 02:25 pm
Capitol is on lockdown after shots were fired.

There are unconfirmed reports of an officer injured. ABC News reports one woman is dead.

The incident reportedly started when an unidentified woman tried to drive through a barricade at the White House. She had a baby in the back seat of her vehicle. The woman fled the area and ended up at the Capitol, where she tried to drive through another barricade.

Authorities opened fire on the vehicle, killing the woman, authorities say.

People standing outside the Supreme Court across the street from Congress were hurried into the court building by authorities.

In a notice distributed by email, the U.S. Capitol Police advised everyone to "close, lock and stay away from external doors and windows.The notice said gunshots have been reported on Capitol Hill.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/10/u-s-capitol-on-lockdown-94855.html

[MrFun]

I don't see what all the hoopla is about. Public shootings is an ordinary part of American culture.


Anyway, without further ado ...

MORE GUNS = MORE FREEDOM!! DUR HUR, HUR!!

[The Mad Monk]

One of the first reports I saw was this tweet:

Chris Moody ✔ @Chris_Moody
Cops were chasing a black car near the Capitol building. They cornered the car and that's when shots rang out.
1:29 PM - 3 Oct 2013

[The Mad Monk]

I don't see what all the hoopla is about. Public shootings is an ordinary part of American culture.


Anyway, without further ado ...

MORE GUNS = MORE FREEDOM!! DUR HUR, HUR!!

Preserved for posterity.

[Sava]

MrFun, that's my bit.

Go post an article from a liberal blog about it.

[The Mad Monk]

Radio now says she collided with the balustrades the block vehicular access to the mall (?), was pursued a mile when she collided with balustrades at capitol.

No identification or weapons found in car, which was an out of state lease.

[regexcellent]

Just heard that the cops were the ones shooting.

[The Mad Monk]

Anybody care to wager she was a DUI who panicked?

[The Mad Monk]

Chase from White House to Capitol ends in gunfire
By BRADLEY KLAPPER and LAURIE KELLMAN / Associated Press / October 3, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — A woman driving a black Lexus tried to ram through a White House barricade Thursday, then led police on a chase that ended in gunfire outside the Capitol, witnesses and officials said.

Tourists watched the shooting unfold on Constitution Avenue outside the Capitol as lawmakers inside debated how to end a government shutdown. Police quickly locked down the entire complex for about an hour, and both houses of Congress went into recess.

The pursuit began when a car tried to ram a security barricade blocking the stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the case by name and insisted on anonymity.

Witnesses said at least 20 police cars chased the Lexus toward Capitol Hill, where the car crashed outside the Capitol.

Tourist Edmund Ofori-Attah said he walked toward the scene, curious about what was going on.

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

Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer said a woman was driving the car and had a child with her. Ofori-Attah said the child appeared to be about 2 to 3 years old.

Gainer said the child was taken to a hospital.

Capitol Police Chief Kim Dine said the driver was in custody. He did not disclose her condition.

A police officer was injured in the traffic accident but Gainer said the injuries were not life threatening.

‘‘We heard three, four, five pops,’’ said Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., who was walking from the Capitol to an office building across the street. Police ordered Casey and nearby tourists to crouch behind a car for protection, then hustled everyone into the Capitol.

‘‘There were multiple shots fired and the air was filled with gunpowder,’’ said Berin Szoka, whose office at a technology think tank overlooks the shooting scene.

The shooting comes two weeks after a mentally disturbed employee terrorized the Navy Yard with a shotgun, leaving 13 people dead including the gunman.

Before the disruption, lawmakers had been trying to find common ground to end a government shutdown. The House had just finished approving legislation aimed at partly lifting the government shutdown by paying National Guard and Reserve members.

People standing outside the Supreme Court across the street from Congress were hurried into the court building by authorities.

The White House also was briefly locked down after the incident at Capitol Hill and the stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the compound was closed to pedestrians. Secret Service said the procedures were precautionary.

___

AP writers Mark Sherman, Philip Elliott, Jesse Holland, David Espo, Alan Fram and Donna Cassata contributed to this report.

© Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/2013/10/03/shots-heard-capitol-building-under-lockdown/1UdgOdhP0Kbad7IrFbnMrJ/story.html

Interesting phrasing.

I know the barriers they set up to close Pennsylvania Avenue -- they're not the sort of thing you could reasonably expect to breach with a Lexus.

[Sava]

There seem to be conflicting reports. Is she alive or not?

Chicago Tribune and NBC says she's dead. The Atlantic is calling this a "shootout", implying she fired on law enforcement. USA Today repeats what the DC police chief said... that her condition is unknown.

Hopefully, all this nonsense gets cleared up in the next few days.

[Sava]

clever redditor:
"Quick! Nobody is guarding the memorials, go see Lincoln!"