Man in custody after shots fired at US Capitol Hill
A man is in custody after Capitol Hill in the US was sent into lockdown when witnesses heard gunshots fired in the complex.
According to reports, a man brought a weapon into the US Capitol Visitor Center on Monday afternoon.
Lots of ambulances are racing to the US Capitol, staging near the Capitol Visitors Ctr. We are sheltering in place. pic.twitter.com/RKMe4jp0M0
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) March 28, 2016
7News understands the ordeal unfolded after a man went through security gates and they beeped, causing staff to raise alarm.
The man became belligerent and police were forced to shoot him. The man was wounded but not seriously.
There are unconfirmed reports the man is from Tennessee and known to police.
#BREAKING US Congress, White House on lockdown; possible security threat at Capitol: witnesses
— AFP news agency (@AFP) March 28, 2016
The man is now in custody.
DC police have since said the ordeal was an isolated incident and that "there is no active threat to the public".
In a separate incident, the White House was also sent into lockdown after a person tried to jump the fence.
BREAKING: Gunshots reported in U.S. Capitol visitors center, workers in Capitol told to "shelter in place": Senate sources
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) March 28, 2016
Email sent to House staff, per @frankthorp pic.twitter.com/jDudSO8wJU
— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) March 28, 2016
Video from inside the complex shows panic erupt near the security area of the visitors centre, with a frantic security official frantically guiding a crowd of scared visitors away from the door.
Witnesses reported being evacuated from the complex, including one woman who said she heard shots fired as she was going through security.
Was at the #Visitor's Center...shots heard while going through #security it was a scramble...#Capitol #Evacuated after hiding behind wall
— Cathryn Leff, LMFT (@Cathrynlefflmft) March 28, 2016
#Capitol on lock down pic.twitter.com/HKXQonJ7HB
— Cathryn Leff, LMFT (@Cathrynlefflmft) March 28, 2016
"Was at the #Visitor's Center...shots heard while going through #security it was a scramble...#Capitol #Evacuated after hiding behind wall," family therapist Cathryn Leff tweeted.
Ambulances, officials and other emergency services arrived at the complex.
News break – March 29