WASHINGTON — A driver struck a police cruiser and tried to run over several officers on the grounds of the Capitol on Wednesday morning, the police said, prompting officers to fire shots.
In a statement shortly after the episode, Washington’s Metropolitan Police said an individual had been taken into custody and no one was hurt.
But the incident sowed confusion across Capitol Hill on Wednesday morning, just as lawmakers and their staff members were streaming into the complex of office buildings. Several nearby House office buildings were put on alert.
Washington police said the U.S. Capitol Police received reports of gunshots around 9:30 a.m. outside the U.S. Botanic Garden, which sits just yards from the Rayburn House Office Building. At some point, as they responded, police officers fired their weapons, they said, but no one was struck.
The office of the House Sergeant at Arms said it was monitoring the activity and urged those who work in nearby buildings to stay clear of the area.
Whether the suspect in custody fired shots at the officers or other civilians nearby was not immediately clear.
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