UPDATE: The shooter was a woman, who tried to drive an SUV through the White House Gates. She was reportedly wounded while shooting at police, and eyewitnesses report there was a child in the car.
The reports of gunshots were unconfirmed. The House recessed shortly after indications of gunshots. The Senate went into a quorum call -- that is, dispensed momentarily with its official business -- shortly thereafter.
Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill tweeted: Shots fired outside the Capitol. We are in temporary lock down.
Colorado Rep. Jared Polis tweeted: There had been some short of shooting here at the capital, we r on lockdown awaiting more info
Congress has been locked for the past week and a half in a contentious debate over funding the government, a disagreement in which contributed to a government shutdown that came to pass at the end of Monday.
Last night, Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy, R, was the victim of a "minor incident" outside of the Capitol complex.
"A random individual, unknown to the Congressman, began screaming at him and grabbed his arm," a spokesperson for Duffy said in describing the incident. "Mr. Duffy was unharmed. He reported the incident in compliance with House security procedures. Congressman Duffy has requested no further action be taken and there will be no further comment on the matter at this time..
Apparently the Capitol offices are in lockdown right now.
Shots fired outside the Capitol. We are in temporary lock down.
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) October 3, 2013
More information as it develops...
UPDATE: Per MSNBC, police are there, and were on hand, despite not being paid during the shutdown.
UPDATE: Unconfirmed reports coming in that an officer is injured and a shooter is in custody.
UPDATE: Just minutes after first reports of shooting came out, AR Congressman Tim Griffin tweeted a condemnation of Democratic leadership for violent rhetoric
Stop the violent rhetoric President Obama, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. #Disgusting
— Tim Griffin (@TimGriffinAR2) October 3, 2013
After massive Twitter pushback, Griffin apologized for the statement.
UPDATE: BREAKING: @ABC's @MLevineReports: Source says female suspect reported dead on scene on Capitol Hill
UPDATE: Per MSNBC, the lockdown has been lifted.
UPDATE:
RT @eyewitnessnyc: #BREAKING A child was found in the female suspects car. The child was not hurt, per ABC News & per @stacos :-)
— res7cue (@res7cuefox5) October 3, 2013
UPDATE: Alex Jones is predictably calling it a "false flag" operation.
