WFSB Channel 3
WASHINGTON (Sept. 30, 2013) — Emergency vehicles and first responders are once again in action in the National Capital Region and will be thru Oct. 3. They are participating in “Capital Shield 2014.”
CS 14 is a joint training exercise in the NCR that is hosted by the Joint Force Headquarters – National Capital Region. It brings federal, state, local and municipal agencies together to realistically test interagency operability during a crisis impacting the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland. It also trains and prepares the Department of Defense to provide defense support to civil authorities and employ appropriate force protection measures as requested.
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“Because we are all regional partners it’s nice to be able to pick up the Phone and KNOW the other person on the end of the line when you are in need of some help,” said Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Paul Ruwe. “It’s a lesson learned from 9/11. We had good regional contact with the FBI Washington office, and that really helped after the attack on the Pentagon.”
Ruwe is the Incident commander at the Lorton Training site, Lorton Va., and said the training site will be very busy over the next few days.
More than 38 participating agencies from DOD and Capital region response agencies will perform mock mass casualty rescues, Defense Support to civil agency technical rescues and law enforcement tactical responses. The goal of the exercise is to ensure government agencies at every level are prepared to coordinate action to protect the public in the event of an actual disaster in the National Capital Region.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Please visit the Capital Shield 2014 website at www.mdwhome.mdw.army.mil/capital-shield.
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Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
UPDATE 2:53 p.m. Washington authorities said the female suspect in the D.C. Capitol shooting was shot and killed.
NBC News reported the D.C. Capitol shooting started when the woman tried to ram her car, with her baby inside, into a White House gate.
Authorities said the Secret Service chased her and she exchanged gunshots with police near the Capitol.
She was shot and died less than an hour later.
According to NBC News, her child is OK.
They said an officer was injured during the chase.
Her identity has not yet been released.
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Gunfire erupted Thursday near the U.S. Capitol, bringing a swarm of emergency vehicles to the heart of the government in response to an emergency that locked down Congress.
Police also closed Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House.
CNN’s Athena Jones, who was at a Senate office building near the Capitol, said she heard gunshots that sounded like fireworks.
The FBI dispatched units in response to reports of shots near Garfield Circle, which is on the Senate side of the Capitol.
CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash learned that one person was injured.
No further details were immediately available.
House and Senate sessions were immediately suspended.
A Capital Police bulletin said reports of gunshots required all occupants in all House office buildings to shelter in place.
Close, lock and stay away from external doors and windows, the bulletin said.
Authorities later lifted the lockdown, Bash later reported.
UPDATE 2:11 p.m. The lockdown has been lifted at the Capitol.
UPDATE 2:08 p.m. Shooting and danger is over at this point, according to Washington authorities. Now the investigation will begin.
So far, no word on the shooter’s identity or motive.
UPDATE 2 p.m. Many of those responding to the emergency scene are not being paid for it because of the government
UPDATE 1:57 p.m. NBC News reporting shooting started at White House and continued more than 10 blocks to the Capitol.
UPDATE 1:50 p.m. Washington authorities said they have a suspect in custody.
A CNN photojournalist said he heard at lease a dozen gunshots at the corner of Constitution and Maryland.
Authorities said one officer has been injured.
They have not confirmed if he was injured by a gun shot or another way.
WASHINGTON The Capitol is on lockdown after police said shots were fired outside the building Thursday afternoon.
The Associated Press reported police said one officer has been injured.
Refresh this page and watch News Channel 4 for the latest updates.
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A police officer was reported injured after gunshots at the U.S. Capitol, police said Thursday while putting the entire complex on lockdown.
“There are reports of injuries,” said Terrance Gainer, the Senate’s Sergeant at Arms.
FBI agents were also headed to the scene.
The reports comes two weeks after a deadly shooting at the nearby Navy Yard and amid a government shutdown.
As a warning was sounded, the House abruptly went into recess and lawmakers left the chamber floor. The House had just finished approving legislation aimed at partly lifting the government shutdown by paying National Guard and Reserve members.
People standing outside the Supreme Court across the street from Congress were hurried into the court building by authorities.
The White House was quickly locked down after the incident at Capitol Hill and the stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the compound was closed to pedestrians. Secret Service said the procedures were precautionary.
