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2.29pm ET
Reports of shots fired near the US Capitol building. Reuters reports:
US Capitol police have reports of shots fired at 2nd St and Constitution Avenue NE, several injured.
Updated at 2.29pm ET
2.30pm ET
The US Capitol is in lockdown, Reuters reports.
Literally was dragged in by cop as he heard shots fired come over the radio. Now this:
— KateNocera (@KateNocera) October 3, 2013
2.31pm ET
The scene.
RT @intelligencer: Scene at the Capitol, via @CNN — Garance Franke-Ruta (@thegarance) October 3, 2013
2.33pm ET
CNN's Dana Bash says Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, just "popped in and told us, 'one injury.'"
2.38pm ET
Nancy Pelosi reports "temporary lockdown":
All Members and staff, we are in temporary lockdown as Capitol police work quickly to secure the area. Please stay safe.
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) October 3, 2013
2.41pm ET
The Guardian's Dan Roberts reports "lots of sirens here in Farragut Square, heading east toward Capitol Hill." Dan says this morning at the Capitol complex:
I was struck by how deserted it was due to all the furloughed employees. Most tours have been cancelled too, for the public, just a few visitors to galleries.
There was no obvious let-up in security however.
2.42pm ET
The Washington Post's Ed O'Keefe tweets a picture of TV screens at the Capitol advising "shelter in place–gunshots":
We are okay inside. Images on internal TV screens at the Capitol--Ed O'Keefe (@edatpost) October 3, 2013
(h/t @katierogers)
2.47pm ET
The White House is in "partial lockdown," CBS News reports:
As a precaution in response to shooting on Cap Hill, WH in partial lockdown. Pedestrians moved across street.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) October 3, 2013
2.48pm ET
The Senate sergeant at arms confirms reports of gunshots on the Hill.
USCP investigating reports of gunshots on Capitol Hill. If in a #Senate office, shelter in place. If not go to nearest office. #alert
— SenateSergeantAtArms (@SenateSAA) October 3, 2013
(h/t: @katierogers)
2.51pm ET
The Post's Ed O'Keefe is tweeting details of the incident from the scene.
Am inside the US Capitol and safe.
Incident appeared to begin around 2:19 pm when Capitol Police officers were seen running from the basement to the 1sr floor
Colleague @loriamontgomery and I followed the officers to 1st floor. There, officers had locked East side house entrance
Within moments, officers with semiautomatic weapons were seen exiting the building; moments later, plain clothes seen running w weapons
— Ed O'Keefe (@edatpost) October 3, 2013
Officers began instructing people to shelter in place or return to their office around 2:22pm.
Updated at 2.54pm ET
2.53pm ET
Here's a Twitter list of members of Congress. Many are tweeting that they are safe. (h/t @katierogers)
"If you are in an office building remain sheltered in place." ...phrase we're hearing over & over again on emergency broadcast system
— Rep. Trey Radel (@treyradel) October 3, 2013
2.59pm ET
Summary
Here's a summary of what we know:
• Gunshots were reported outside the US Capitol building at about 2.20pm ET. A message went out across the Hill, including congressional offices, for people to shelter in place.
• The Senate majority leader Harry Reid said there was "one injury," according to CNN's Dana Bash. The Associated Press reported that one person was injured.
• Dozens of police vehicles with lights flashing converged at an intersection on Constitution Avenue about two blocks from the Capitol. A a crime scene was established there.
3.05pm ET
The lockdown at the US Capitol has been lifted and the building has re-opened, according to US Capitol Police, Ed O'Keefe reports.
#USCapitol Shelter in Place has been lifted. You may exit shelter locations & resume normal activities. Thanks for your cooperation. #alert
— SenateSergeantAtArms (@SenateSAA) October 3, 2013
PHOTO: Capitol Hill police and medics take a person away on a stretcher at the site of a shooting on Capitol Hill —
Agence France-Presse (@AFP) October 3, 2013
Updated at 3.06pm ET
3.07pm ET
Guardian Washington bureau chief Dan Roberts (@RobertsDan) reports that Capitol police are due to hold a news conference shortly.
3.12pm ET
CNN's Jake Tapper cites an unnamed White House source with an account of what has happened, which chimes with other similar reports from other outlets.
A car was chased from the White House to Capitol Hill, Tapper says the source told him. Gunfire was "exchanged" near the Hart Senate office building. One officer was injured and was taken by helicopter from the scene.
3.16pm ET
The president has been briefed on reports of gunfire on Capitol Hill this afternoon, White House officials say.
3.25pm ET
Police swarm around car on grass near the US Capitol, which was placed on lockdown after an Police swarm around car on grass near the US Capitol, which was placed on lockdown after an "active shooter" situation was reported.
Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images
A Secret Service agent stands on top of the White House after a person allegedly tried to ram their car through gates to the White House, A Secret Service agent stands on top of the White House after a person allegedly tried to ram their car through gates to the White House.
Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
Rescue personnel stand around a smashed US Capitol Police car following a shooting near the US Capitol in Washington. Rescue personnel stand around a smashed US Capitol Police car following a shooting near the US Capitol in Washington.
Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
3.31pm ET
According to multiple reports, incident began when a car, driven by a woman, tried to break through the gates of the White House. The car was then chased to the Capitol, where the woman got out of the car.
Capitol Police are reported to have shot the suspect, whose condition is not confirmed. A child was also in the car, and has been taken to hospital.
Updated at 3.55pm ET
3.39pm ET
Life on the Hill returns slowly to Thursday afternoon normality.
House is now back in session.
— jennifer bendery (@jbendery) October 3, 2013
A few congressman now carrying on giving tours of the Capitol to constituents — Rebecca Berg (@rebeccagberg) October 3, 2013
3.43pm ET
The US capitol police chief, Kim Dine, holds a news conference to describe what happened, confirming details of what was earlier reported. He said:
A vehicle in the vicinity of the White House apparently tried to pass a barricade.
Shots were potentially fired. [Officers] pursued the vehicle. The vehicle struck one of our vehicles... and ultimately ended up at 2nd and Maryland Avenue NE, where it crashed into one of our barricades.
We have no information that this is related to terrorism or is anything other than an isolated incident.
Dine says he believes that there was a child in the car. But he does not know the condition of the driver.
He confirms that an officer was injured, but not by gunfire:
One of our officers was struck in his staff car. He appears to be conscious and breathing. As far as we know, no officer was shot.
He says he'll give another briefing at 4:15pm ET.
Updated at 3.49pm ET
3.52pm ET
Summary
Here's a summary of where things stand:
• A vehicle "apparently" tried to pass a barricade near the White House at 2.18pm ET Thursday, Capitol police said. "Shots were potentially fired," said police chief Kim Dine, and the car headed southeast toward the Capitol.
• The vehicle was stopped when it crashed into barricades near the Capitol. The condition of the driver was unknown, police said. "We believe there was a child in the car," chief Dine said.
• An officer was injured in his vehicle. His condition was unknown, but "he appears to be conscious and breathing," Dine said. [The details of how the officer was injured were in question. Dine said "the vehicle struck one of our vehicles," but conflicting reports said there was no two-vehicle collision.]
• The incident was an "isolated incident" unrelated to terrorism, Dine said.
• The House of Representatives resumed business after a lockdown was lifted. Capitol tours resumed.
Updated at 4.24pm ET
4.16pm ET
Guardian social news editor Katie Rogers (@katierogers) tracks a Twitter outpouring of thanks from Congress for the quick actions of the first responders on the scene, chief among them the US Capitol Police:
We all owe the Capitol Police a debt of gratitude for their work every day; no finer examples of professionalism & bravery.
— Speaker John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) October 3, 2013
Heard the gunshots & very grateful for the Capitol Police who I saw running to the danger & putting themselves in harm's way.
— Rob Portman (@robportman) October 3, 2013
Updated at 4.17pm ET
4.42pm ET
CNN has broadcast eyewitness video of the car chase preceding the final crash. Here's what happened:
A black sedan is stopped outside the White House with multiple police vehicles parked around it including one directly behind it. A half-dozen officers stand around the vehicle, guns drawn. The vehicle reverses violently, hitting the police car behind it. Officers aim pistols at the driver's window and can be seen yelling. The car speeds away, forcing officers to jump to safety. Several pops – likely gunshots – are audible.
The car speeds from the White House and down Constitution Avenue toward the Capitol. Many police cars are in pursuit. The car leads police vehicles one full loop through a traffic circle, eluding them, and continues toward the Capitol.
The final wreck is not on the video.
Updated at 4.48pm ET
4.44pm ET
[video]
US Capitol police chief Kim Dine issues a statement on a shooting at Capitol Hill in Washington DC on Thursday. Dine says a vehicle attempted to ram a barrier near the White House before a brief car chase ensued to the Capitol. Members of Congress and staff were told to stay indoors and away from windows before the lockdown was lifted.
5.08pm ET
Guardian social news editor Katie Rogers (@katierogers) maps the key points in the car chase and shooting based on what we know so far:
We still don't know the exact path of the car chase, but if you look at the points on this Google map of Washington from left to right, you can see that the chase started at a barrier just outside of the White House – 15th and Pennsylvania Ave NW – and continued east toward the US Capitol building, finally ending at 2nd and Maryland Avenue NE – a distance of about 1.7 miles.
The blue dot on the map is the location of the US Capitol building.
Key points in downtown Washington where Thursday's car chase and shooting played out. Key points in downtown Washington where Thursday's car chase and shooting played out. [Photograph: /Google]
[View the full Google map here
_https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=208938192352245503390.0004e7dc13050977f3057&msa=0&ll=38.899917,-76.999311&spn=0.067265,0.141106 .]
Updated at 5.10pm ET
5.59pm ET
Here's raw footage of the car chase and shooting, shot by the US-funded Al-Hurra ("Freedom" in Arabic) and obtained by the video impresarios at NowThisNews (thanks to @KatieRogers):
_http://nowth.is/1hokPuW
Video of a shooting and car chase between the White House and the US Capitol Thursday 3 October, 2013.
Al-Hurra, a US-funded television channel broadcast in the Middle East, happens to have been deemed an "essential" service during the shutdown and so has remained open, the Broadcasting Board of Governors announced Tuesday in a story broken by Foreign Policy and picked up by Politico:
Programs like Voice of America, Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio and TV Martí), Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa) are considered “foreign relations essential to national security."
(h/t @mccanner)
Updated at 6.02pm ET
6.11pm ET
Washington DC police chief Cathy Lanier says the suspect "has been pronounced at this point," –
meaning the suspect is dead.
A "child is in good condition and is in protective custody."
"The security perimeters worked," Lanier said. "They did what they were supposed to do."
Lanier says it was not an "accident." "This was a lengthy pursuit... two security perimeters that were attempted to be breached."
Lanier won't say whether the suspect was armed.
6.15pm ET
Lanier says "we're not going to answer any questions about the suspect," apart from the fact that the suspect is dead.
"
I'm pretty confident this was not an accident," Lanier says, at an evening news conference.
Kim Dine, chief of the Capitol police, concurs. "It does not appear to be" an accident, he says.
But Dine also says the incident has no "terrorism nexus."
6.18pm ET
"There were multiple crime scenes as a result... There were
multiple shots fired at several different locations," said Ed Donovan of the Secret Service, speaking at the news conference.
Joining the investigation are the metro DC police, Capitol police, the secret service and the FBI.
"This incident is under investigation," Donovan says. "At this point, an unauthorized vehicle attempted to gain access at an outer perimeter [White House] checkpoint. Beyond that there are several other checkpoints."
"Our officers acted appropriately."
Donovan said the the fleeing vehicle struck a secret service officer.
He also says there were "no shots fired at the White House. These other locations is where shots were fired."
6.22pm ET
US Capitol police chief Kim Dine says there was a
1-year-old child in the car. "One of our officers initially rescued the child... the child was taken to the hospital," Dine says at the news conference. Here's his version of events:
"Our officers attempted to make a stop at Garfield Circle" but the vehicle "eluded" them.
A capitol police officer was injured when his vehicle struck a barricade, Dine says. "I personally spoke with the officer, he's doing well. He's a 23-year veteran of the capitol police. .. he's gonna be fine... I don't have the specific injuries."
"It appears all along the capitol the security worked exceptionally well," Dine says.
Lanier says two officers were wounded – one from secret service, one from capitol police. Officers from both services fired shots, Lanier said.
6.31pm ET
Summary
Here's a summary of where things stand:
•
Police shot a motorist dead after a confrontation at a White House barrier and car chase in the direction of the US Capitol. A one-year-old child was taken from the vehicle and is in protective custody, police said.
•
Multiple shots were fired by officers with both the Secret Service and US Capitol police. Multiple crime scenes have been established.
•
The fleeing vehicle hit and injured a secret service officer, said a spokesman, and a Capitol police officer was injured when his car struck a barrier. Both officers were in good condition.
•
Capitol police chief Kim Dine said there was no "terrorism nexus" but Washington DC police chief Cathy Lanier said "I'm pretty confident this was not an accident." "This was a lengthy pursuit," Lanier said. "Two security perimeters that were attempted to be breached."
•
Law enforcement gave few details of the suspect. "We're not going to answer any questions about the suspect," Lanier said.
•
The incident began when the vehicle tried to cross an "outer perimeter" barrier at the White House. Lanier said a video of the chase does not capture events before and afterward.
•
Secret service spokesman Ed Donovan said "Our officers acted appropriately." Dine said, "It appears all along the capitol the security worked exceptionally well."
