UNITED STATES: The U.S. Capitol Police confirmed that a security threat on Capitol Hill has been resolved, despite a manhunt, evacuations, and panic inside Senate office buildings. The police chief suggested the incident may have been a result of a bogus call. After a search, they were unable to validate the report and found no injuries or threats.
The Hart Building was the focus of a 2:30 p.m. call reporting an active shooter, according to Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger. The Capitol Police conducted a quick search, with D.C. police providing investigation support. The shooter was described as a heavyset Hispanic male wearing body armour, but no confirmed rounds were fired. The inquiry is still ongoing.
At a press conference, the chief of the Capitol Police reported that 200 police officers were involved in a floor-to-floor search of Senate office buildings, but no alarming information was found. He stated that the call may have been a bogus one, and the building was packed with staff assistants. A security alert instructed them to find cover and avoid approaching windows or doors.
A witness told the media that the police officers with long weapons entered a Senate office building and evacuated employees on the ground floor. Some employees were escorted outside, while others on higher floors took cover. The Capitol had a large police presence, including the Metropolitan Police Department. House staff were requested to stay away from Senate office buildings.
The threat was made a day before former President Donald Trump’s scheduled court appearance in Washington, D.C., following his indictment for rigging the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021, attack on the building.
The police chief stated that no fences are planned for Trump’s visit, despite Capitol Police and federal law enforcement being on high alert for potential threats.
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