U.S. Senate buildings reopen after no active shooter found

Doug Cunningham & Sheri Walsh
·3 min read
People evacuate the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., after a report of a possible active shooter inside the building Wednesday. Officers later reopened all Senate office buildings, calling the report a "bogus call." Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
People evacuate the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., after a report of a possible active shooter inside the building Wednesday. Officers later reopened all Senate office buildings, calling the report a "bogus call." Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Aug. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. Capitol Police reopened Senate office buildings in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday after finding no active shooter despite a 911 report, which officers said "may have been a bogus call."

"A call came in for an active shooter. It appears to be a bad call. No injuries and no shooter were located. MPD is assisting U.S. Capitol Police," a spokesperson for D.C. Metro police said in an email to The Hill.

The original call to Metropolitan Police Department came in at 2:30 p.m. The caller claimed the active shooter, who was described as a "heavyset Hispanic male wearing body armor," was inside Hart Senate Office Building, which houses Senate offices and staff. Both the Senate and House of Representatives are currently on summer recess.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger told reporters that when officers tried returning the caller's number, it "just bounces back."

"This may have been a bogus call," Manger said.

Police search near the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., after reports of a possible active shooter Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
Police search near the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., after reports of a possible active shooter Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

As officers investigated the call, Senate staff members and visitors were told to shelter in place shortly before 3 p.m.

"If you are inside the Senate Buildings, everyone inside should be sheltering in place as the report was for a possible active shooter," MPD wrote in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "It should be noted that we do not have any confirmed reports of gunshots."

An officer and her canine patrol near the Senate office buildings on Capitol Hill after reports of a possible active shooter Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
An officer and her canine patrol near the Senate office buildings on Capitol Hill after reports of a possible active shooter Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Officers, who focused their efforts on the Russell Senate Office building, also blocked access to the underground tunnels leading to the Senate office buildings from the Capitol.

"Please stay away from the area as we are still investigating," U.S. Capitol Police wrote on X.

Capitol Police locked down and evacuated the Russell Senate Office Building after getting a report of a possible active shooter. Officers also blocked access to the underground tunnels leading to the Senate office buildings from the Capitol. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
Capitol Police locked down and evacuated the Russell Senate Office Building after getting a report of a possible active shooter. Officers also blocked access to the underground tunnels leading to the Senate office buildings from the Capitol. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Manger told reporters, "Close to 200 police officers are going floor to floor through all three Senate office buildings."

Following an extensive search, officers evacuated the buildings. Some staffers and visitors exited in tears or with their hands raised in the air.

U.S. Capitol Police reopened Senate office buildings in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday after finding no active shooter following a 911 call. Police say the report "appears to be a bad call." File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
U.S. Capitol Police reopened Senate office buildings in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday after finding no active shooter following a 911 call. Police say the report "appears to be a bad call." File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI

"We've had the advantage of having trained for this over the last couple of years, and we had a very quick response," Manger said. "So far we found nothing concerning. We've got nobody that actually heard shots and certainly no victims."