Scrambling to Get the Story
26 May 2006 8:26 am by Taylor Marsh
UPDATE II: Breaking News! It was a “construction crew,” who tried to blame the elevator, but the Capitol Police were having none of it. Good for them. They exonerated the elevator!
UPDATE: The “all clear” has been given. Evidently, after five hours, the word from MSNBC is that it was an irate elevator that made the “bang” noise. Capitol Police are still trying to run down its motive.
UPDATE: Sgt. Schneider, Police Information Officer, offered in
the briefing just concluded that an anonymous caller (my words), though she simply
said it was someone who has not been identified, called in at around 10:30 a.m.
eastern time to report “gunfire,” “shots fired,” “a loud
sound.” The ambulances present are precautionary and on stand-by, but there
are no reports of any injuries. She talked briefly about the “law enforcement
firing range” in the building, but wouldn't add to many details for security reasons. There will be other briefings, but there isn't much else right now. Again, one anonymous caller phoned this threat in. They're searching the Capitol now, but as I offered below, I'm betting it may have only been a car.
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“Gunfire” heard in the House garage, says MSNBC.
The way it's being reported, it doesn't sound like the people on the story
have ever heard a gun fire, especially inside a building or a garage. You've
got to wonder if it was a car. Sorry, but that can sometimes be all it is.
The “lockdown” has been called off, according to MSNBC, so we still
don't know what's going on. But four ambulances have arrived and yellow tape is being used to cordone off part of the area close to the garage. Swat is on the scene, but they just don't know what's happening, nothing specific. Everything is focused on the garage, the garage.
Police sealed off the Capitol on Friday after receiving reports of gunfire
in a House office building across the street.Capitol police are investigating “the sound of gunfire in the garage
level of the Rayburn House Office Building,” said an announcement on
the internal Capitol voice alarm system.The Senate was in session at the time, but the House was not.
Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., conducting a House Intelligence Committee hearing,
interrupted a witness to request those attending the meeting to remain in
the room and said the doors must be closed.“It's a little unsettling to get a Blackberry message put in front
of you that says there's gunfire in the building,” he said.Police
Investigating Reports of Gunfire in Capitol Office Building
