Dozens of law enforcement vehicles descended upon the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday afternoon amid reports of an active shooter.
“If you are inside the Senate Buildings, everyone inside should be sheltering in place as the report was for a possible active shooter,” the U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement. “It should be noted that we do not have any confirmed reports of gunshots.”
Capitol Police said officers were “searching in and around the Senate Office Buildings” and urged everyone to stay away.
Those in the building were instructed to move into the nearest office space, lock the doors, and stay away from external doors and windows.
BREAKING: US Senate building being evacuated after reports of possible active shooterpic.twitter.com/9HOwtlgOFr
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) August 2, 2023
People are being evacuated from senate office buildings with their hands up. pic.twitter.com/Pd1Ayw7GMu
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) August 2, 2023
The Building in Washington D.C. which houses Offices used by the U.S. Senate is currently being Evacuated while Police Officers armed with Long-Rifles search the Building for a possible Active Shooter which was reported a few minutes ago by an Anonymous Phone-Call. pic.twitter.com/KiObcTDPjs
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 2, 2023
NBC News Capitol Hill reporter Julie Tsirkin wrote on Twitter: “Heavy USCP presence in the basement of the Capitol, with underground entrances to senate office buildings blocked off.”
“A first responders unit was just deployed to the plaza of the Capitol,” she added.
Heavy USCP presence in the basement of the Capitol, with underground entrances to senate office buildings blocked off.
A first responders unit was just deployed to the plaza of the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/h3wqsZ41RB
— Julie Tsirkin (@JulieNBCNews) August 2, 2023
Fox News reporter Adam Sabes later wrote that local officials believed that the situation at Russell Senate Office Building is likely “a ‘mental health’ situation and not an active shooter.”
Capitol Police later said that they were preparing to reopen the the buildings and that there was “no active threat at this time.”
4:17 pm: USCP is standing by to prepare the Senate office buildings for re-entry. There is no active threat at this time.
— The U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) August 2, 2023
This report has been updated to include additional information.