This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/03/us-capitol-lockdown-reports-gunshots

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
US Capitol placed on lockdown after reports of gunshots Washington DC car chase that ended with gunfire prompts lockdown at Capitol
(about 1 hour later)
The US Capitol in Washington has been placed on lockdown after reports of gunshots. Staff and members of Congress have been told to stay in place. At least one person is thought to have been hurt, according to reports. A woman with a young child in her car rammed into barricades outside the White House, prompting a chase through the security-heavy streets of Washington that ended in gunfire at the US Capitol on Thursday.
A message went out across Capitol Hill around 2.30pm ET for people to shelter in place. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, said one person had been injured. Government buildings on Capitol Hill were placed on lockdown and members of Congress sheltered in their offices as the incident unfolded.
Dozens of police vehicles with lights flashing converged at an intersection on Constitution Avenue about two blocks from the Capitol, where a crime scene was established. Capitol police said the woman was chased between the two centres of government, striking a police vehicle shortly before she was stopped. Officers are reported to have shot the woman, whose condition is unknown. The child was said to be unhurt.
"The Capitol Hill police are reporting gun shots fired outside the US Capitol," said congressman Doug Lamborn on Facebook. "My office is in lockdown. Sheltering in place at the moment." Less than three weeks after a fatal shooting at the nearby navy yard left 12 dead, the incident put security forces on full alert and led to the temporary suspension of business in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers were debating the government shutdown.
Follow live updates here. Capitol police chief Kim Dine said the two scenes were quickly secured after a short security lockdown meant hundreds of government staff were told to “shelter in place”. He told reporters on Capitol Hill: “We have no information that this was related to terrorism or is anything other than an isolated incident."
Dine said the vehicle first hit barricades outside the White House shortly after 2.10pm, before hitting the Capitol police car at the junction of 1st Street and Connecticut Avenue and coming to a halt at 2nd Street and Maryland Avenue, where he said it “crashed into one of our barricades”.
He confirmed that a Capitol police officer was hurt. “On the way, one of our officers was struck in his scout car. He appears to be conscious and breathing. The injured officer was evacuated by a helicopter which landed on the lawn in front of Congress.
It was unclear whether the driver was armed. Witnesses reported hearing several "loud bangs” outside the Capitol complex. Video later emerged of a black sendan being chased at speed around the heavily-guarded roads close to the US Senate buildings.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.