WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger confirmed that there was no active shooter or suspicious activity at the U.S. Capitol complex on Wednesday. After about 90 minutes of investigation, the police allowed workers in three Senate office buildings adjacent to the Capitol to return to work. The report of a possible active shooter was likely a false alarm, and no confirmation of an actual threat was found.
Approximately 200 officers were deployed to clear the Senate office buildings on Constitution Avenue, but no suspicious individuals were detected in the vicinity. The incident began when the Washington Metropolitan Police Department received a call reporting a shooter, but attempts to contact the initial caller were unsuccessful.
Although the Senate was in summer recess, some congressional offices retained reduced staff on site, and there were other workers present in Senate cafeterias, coffee shops, security posts, and performing building maintenance, as well as tourists visiting the Capitol.
The call came one day before former President Donald Trump’s expected appearance in a federal courthouse near the Capitol. Trump had been indicted over attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden. As a result, security measures were being increased in government buildings and the surrounding areas in preparation for Trump’s arrival.
Police Chief Manger stated that they were prepared for the situation and had been working with partner agencies to ensure security during the anticipated indictment proceedings.