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This is on the news now:
U.S. Capitol Police Investigating Reports of Gunfire
Friday , May 26, 2006
WASHINGTON — U.S. Capitol Police officers were investigating reports of gunshots in the garage level of a House building on Friday.
“We are responding to reports of shots fired inside the Rayburn garage at this time,” Sgt. Kimberly Schneider of the U.S. Capitol Police told reporters Friday around noon. "We're handling this as a very serious matter."
Police sealed off the Rayburn House Office Building to search the garage area for a gunman or anyone who may have been injured after smelling gunpowder and getting reports of shots. There were independent reports by staff and a police officer that they had heard gunshots, FOX News confirmed. The Capitol was reopened for a second time at about 12:30 p.m. EDT after being locked down, according to police.
House staffers received an e-mail message at 10:30 a.m. saying police were investigating reports of gunfire. The internal Capitol voice alarm system said police were looking into "the sound of gunfire in the garage level of the Rayburn House Office Building."
The message informed staffers in Rayburn to stay where they were and “quickly move into the nearest interior office space or interior hallway and away from windows.”
Staffers were also told to find their emergency kits and personal belongings, close the doors behind them and remain calm. Officers were searching the building room by room.
...Members of the FBI terrorism task force were sent to the scene.
"The FBI always offers assistance and our response in this situation is standard protocol," FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko said.
Police were alerted after someone called the Capitol Police dispatch center to report gunfire, Schneider said...
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.
Jeff Connor, a spokesman for Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., said Capitol Hill police notified the office that gunfire was heard in the garage.
"They specifically said there was the sound of gunfire on one of the garage levels of the Rayburn House office building and asked staff to remain in their offices," Connor said...
There is a firing range in the basement of the Rayburn building for Capitol Police to use...
Bradshaw Smith, a tourist from Branson, Mo., who was in the Rayburn building cafeteria on a visit to the Capitol, said police yelled at bystanders to go to their offices.
"I weigh about 300 pounds but I learned to run pretty fast," Smith said. "This has been a little more excitement than what we were anticipating...."
FOX News' Major Garrett and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright 2006 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,197136,00.html
I wonder how the Deaf employees and visitors get the warnings?
The police use a special knock, and code word before they enter each locked office room.
U.S. Capitol Police Investigating Reports of Gunfire
Friday , May 26, 2006
WASHINGTON — U.S. Capitol Police officers were investigating reports of gunshots in the garage level of a House building on Friday.
“We are responding to reports of shots fired inside the Rayburn garage at this time,” Sgt. Kimberly Schneider of the U.S. Capitol Police told reporters Friday around noon. "We're handling this as a very serious matter."
Police sealed off the Rayburn House Office Building to search the garage area for a gunman or anyone who may have been injured after smelling gunpowder and getting reports of shots. There were independent reports by staff and a police officer that they had heard gunshots, FOX News confirmed. The Capitol was reopened for a second time at about 12:30 p.m. EDT after being locked down, according to police.
House staffers received an e-mail message at 10:30 a.m. saying police were investigating reports of gunfire. The internal Capitol voice alarm system said police were looking into "the sound of gunfire in the garage level of the Rayburn House Office Building."
The message informed staffers in Rayburn to stay where they were and “quickly move into the nearest interior office space or interior hallway and away from windows.”
Staffers were also told to find their emergency kits and personal belongings, close the doors behind them and remain calm. Officers were searching the building room by room.
...Members of the FBI terrorism task force were sent to the scene.
"The FBI always offers assistance and our response in this situation is standard protocol," FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko said.
Police were alerted after someone called the Capitol Police dispatch center to report gunfire, Schneider said...
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.
Jeff Connor, a spokesman for Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., said Capitol Hill police notified the office that gunfire was heard in the garage.
"They specifically said there was the sound of gunfire on one of the garage levels of the Rayburn House office building and asked staff to remain in their offices," Connor said...
There is a firing range in the basement of the Rayburn building for Capitol Police to use...
Bradshaw Smith, a tourist from Branson, Mo., who was in the Rayburn building cafeteria on a visit to the Capitol, said police yelled at bystanders to go to their offices.
"I weigh about 300 pounds but I learned to run pretty fast," Smith said. "This has been a little more excitement than what we were anticipating...."
FOX News' Major Garrett and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright 2006 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,197136,00.html
I wonder how the Deaf employees and visitors get the warnings?
The police use a special knock, and code word before they enter each locked office room.