Shots fired at US Capitol; complex locked down

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. Capitol Police officer was shot Monday at the Capitol Visitor Center complex, and the shooter was taken into custody, Capitol officials and police said.

The event unfolded with Congress on recess and lawmakers back in their districts. The White House was briefly put on lockdown, but that was soon lifted.

The shooting occurred in the Visitors Center of the sprawling Capitol Complex. Staffers, reporters and others were told to "shelter in place" and not allowed to leave their offices. The police officer who was shot was not believed to be seriously injured.

Visitors were being turned away from the Capitol as emergency vehicles flooded the street and the plaza on the building's eastern side. Police, some carrying long guns, cordoned off the streets immediately around the building, which were thick with tourists visiting for spring holidays and the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Traffic was jammed in the vicinity, but despite the obvious emergency the scene was relatively calm. A work crew on the north side of the Supreme Court, across the street, was asked to stop work and move away from the building as a precaution.

Capitol Police did not immediately return calls.

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See some social media posts from around the Capitol Building below.

There has been an isolated incident at the US Capitol. There is no active threat to the public

— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) March 28, 2016

 

Not good

A video posted by Sammy Sanchez (@ssammysanchez) on

Mar 28, 2016 at 12:12pm PDT

Sooooo I'm stuck in the bathroom while something big is going on around me.

— Justin L. Thaxton (@JustinLThaxton) March 28, 2016

 

Hearing an alarm warning of gunshots at the Capitol while inside is a strange feeling. Hopefully no one has been hurt. Thankfully, Hill staff seem to feel secure with the Capitol Police who have always done a great job keeping everyone safe without invading privacy.

A photo posted by Christian Rice (@christian_edwords) on

Mar 28, 2016 at 12:02pm PDT

 

Here we are in a "shelter in place ". We had taken the tunnel from the Library of Congress to the Capitol Visitors Center. We were trying to decide which direction to walk when a police officer ran by with her hand on her weapon. We kind of just stood there, not knowing what to think. She got past us and drew her weapon and next thing we knew, there were officers coming out of the woodwork yelling for us all to exit through the tunnels. We were shepherded through a maze of corridors and tunnels until we arrived here. We didn't know what happened, but people were panicked. Now we have just been informed that there was a shooter at the CVC(where we were), but s/he has been apprehended. We have to stay here a while longer. No police officers or civilians were hurt UPDATE: One officer was shot, but is not seriously injured.

A photo posted by Ashley Rogers (@miss.ashleyrose) on

Mar 28, 2016 at 12:04pm PDT