Various news agencies are reporting that shots have been fired outside the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
We don’t have a lot of information at this time but several reports from Twitter suggest that a vehicle was surrounded and then opened fire.
Update: Below we have reported the situation as it unfolded. The Capitol Building shooting is believed to be the result of a female driver who attempted to run through the White House gates. According to several reports the female was driving with a child in the car.
The Capitol Building was put on lockdown after shots were fired and dozens of Capitol Hill police officers, some carrying machine guns, rushed to the scene of the crime.
Here is a live street of several tweets and photos that have arrived so far:
BREAKING: Police were chasing a black car near the Capitol building. They cornered the car and that’s when shots rang out. @Chris_Moody
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) October 3, 2013
Huge police presence outside the US Capitol building where there are reports of shots fired. #7news pic.twitter.com/pQcSQY7uqP
— Brad Tatum (@BradTatum) October 3, 2013
We have @nowthisnews reporters on lock down in the #Capitol building after reports of gunfire outside. Stay tuned… we’re collecting video.
— NowThis News (@nowthisnews) October 3, 2013
Photo of police at Capitol Building: Shots reported outside Capitol pic.twitter.com/ydqMzarHYC (Photo: @KateNocera)
— ajamlive (@ajamlive) October 3, 2013
We will continue to follow this story as it breaks.
Update (1:45pm Central): The hacktivist group Anonymous through its @YourAnonNews account claims 13 shots were fired during the exchange:
At least 13 Gunshots at U.S. Capitol building. Police officer injured. Suspect in custody – via @911Buff #CapitolShooting
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) October 3, 2013
At Least One Person Injured
Shots fired at the Capital, @CNN reporting one injured. To my friends: I am working from home today. http://t.co/A163yD4pcs — Jacqueline Klimas (@jacqklimas) October 3, 2013
Officer Pulls One Person To Safety
Literally was dragged in by cop as he heard shots fired come over the radio. Now this: pic.twitter.com/K1AJwIEV6G — KateNocera (@KateNocera) October 3, 2013
TVs At Capitol Building Urge Everyone To Take Cover
On the capitol TVs now pic.twitter.com/z45x3OzW5i — Michael McAuliff (@mmcauliff) October 3, 2013
Capitol Building Shooting Live Updates (1:55pm Central):
Police were chasing a black car before the shooting occurred.
Police were chasing black car near Capitol. They cornered the car and then shots rang out –YahooNews http://t.co/kBMzGYrr5i — The Atlantic Wire (@TheAtlanticWire) October 3, 2013
At least several dozen police cars are at the scene of the Capitol Building shooting:
Scene outside Capitol after reports of possible shots fired outside: http://t.co/0P7A4GKVAy #wsbtv pic.twitter.com/ZdiJegnZUy — WSB-TV (@wsbtv) October 3, 2013
Police are surrounding the Capitol Building. No official announces at this time:
Photo: Helicopter, police presence outside the Capitol Building pic.twitter.com/mO9RHzC6b3 (Photo @lucia_graves🙂
— ajamlive (@ajamlive) October 3, 2013
Capitol police have announced a 3pm ET conference.
Update (2:03pm Central)
The New York Post is reporting that a police officer was injured during the Capitol Building shooting:
Police officer injured in shooting at US Capitol http://t.co/OaYMkqZUjs
— New York Post (@nypost) October 3, 2013
Some Twitter users have decided to attack members of Congress for their recent actions as many innocent people remain in hiding:
Shots fired outside US Capitol. We now have reckless criminals inside AND outside the Capitol building. #governmentshutdown
— Aaron Montell (@AaronMontell) October 3, 2013
Police Patrolling the Capitol Building with Machine Guns
Update: Secret Service has called Gerard Butler to Capitol Building for safety precautions
— Zack (@Zack__Thomas) October 3, 2013
People run for cover as police converge to the site of a shooting at the Capitol. (AFP/Getty) pic.twitter.com/YhZXVVyv9N
— Hunter Schwarz (@hunterschwarz) October 3, 2013
Capitol Building Shooting Reportedly Took Place Near Botanical Gardens
Point A on our Google Maps screen capture shows the White House Rose Garden and point B is where the shooting is reported to have occurred:
Shooter Attempted To RAM Barricade that protects gates At White House – Fled From Police
Breaking: Someone tried to ram gate at the White House, then fled to Capitol Hill. Shots were fired, but unclear by whom.
— ABC News (@ABC) October 3, 2013
As shots were fired people walking around the Capitol were captured by camera as they dove to the ground:
PHOTO: People take cover as gun shots were being heard at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, pic.twitter.com/dADzzxF2Da
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) October 3, 2013
Reports Suggest Female Suspect Had Child In Car
CNN reports child in car w/ woman who tried to rammed gate near White House. That led to chase and gunfire http://t.co/K2SDFOcKSP
— WREG News Channel 3 (@3onyourside) October 3, 2013
Several reports suggest that the child in the car was NOT harmed during the shooting.
Capitol Building Shooter Dead According to Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News reports that the shooter is dead http://t.co/Ah4v7Qjdfd
— Global Grind News (@GlobalGrindNews) October 3, 2013
Breaking news reports cut through regularly scheduling programming to follow the Capitol Building Shooting:
Amid all the turmoil there are plenty of Internet trolls using a tragic event to attack ObamaCare. Here’s one of the more pathetic attacks we found:
Instagram user NewsWithNicole offers up this scene from the South side of the Capitol Building. The video was taken just as several innocent bystanders began to flee.
While we stray away from jokes during moments of tragedy this Twitter users comment was right on point:
Someone fired shots near the capitol building and got in a police chase, thus shutting down the government even more than it already was.
— Tyler Heitzeg (@tylerheitzeg) October 3, 2013
The Capitol Building is no longer on lockdown which means the situation has likely been resolved to some end.
More details to following in the hours and days to come.
