WASHington // Capitol police locked down the US House of Representatives and Senate after gunshots were heard outside. The suspected shooter was in custody, police said.
House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, told reporters today she heard about the gunshots from Representative John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat. Officers told congressional staffers to “shelter in place”.
Senate Majority leader Harry Reid said there was an injury, according to CNN reporter Dana Bash, who was preparing to interview the Nevada Democrat. Another CNN reporter, Athena Jones, said she heard “several shots” and saw police converge on an area a few blocks from the Capitol near the Supreme Court.
The House, which has been debating stopgap spending legislation to end the first partial government shutdown in 17 years, went into recess. The Senate also went into recess.
FBI agents are responding, according to Jacqueline Maguire, a spokesman for the FBI field office in Washington. She said she had no further information at this time.
* Bloomberg
