While. He ising is being interviewed nw what he saw. Stephen a lot of people describing same situation, u. S. Capitol Police Rushed them to the various rooms and the spaces to keep them out of harms way. Hear fromwe did people there at the time. They immediately heard down. R what that implies, were not sure. Tackled orwas taken down. Moments after active shooter shooter down. That is a relief to them but the investigation went on for before the all clear was sounded. People still milling about coming out of the capitol. We tension, the fear encountered when we first arrived has been laid dramatically. Back to you. Jonathan you are not getting any word than anyone else was police,ides the correct . Stephen no. When we got here, we were racing up the hill, toward the Visitor Center up constitution avenue. There was officer herding people away as fast as she could. Get back, get back. Thelled to her, what is situation . How many people injured . She said to me, everyone is now. Or i think those are telling words. Words we can find heartening this point. Jonathan all right. Thank you very much for that. Absolutely. Good words to hear. Building if you have not been to the capitol, there are multilayers of security at the Capitol Building. On the outside they patrol. On the inside, a lot of layers. Outside the capitol on any given day there is always two, three, maybe four ambulances that are there. They are just staging there. That is the place they are staging just in case maybe a tourist had a heart attack or something. Close by andm want them out there close to the Capitol Building or the capitol grounds. Today we saw a number of First Responders racing to the capitol following reports of that had taken center. The visitor joce sterman is down the street at the capitol. They are lifting to go back toward the Capitol Building but you have to have Business Inside the building to get in. Joce absolutely. They are not prepared to let tourists back in for tours to see anything. Gentleman that came out from a tour. You were in there when they put the lockdown in place. Find anywhere to go. What happened . We had a friend of my daughter who are here visiting. Give us a private tour. We were about to go up the rotundao go into the from the Visitor Center. Sidesomebody off to the yelled out to us to come there away. So, the person who was giving us the tour, she brought us over. And started running. I had no idea but they were to run. Us at the same time i saw a bunch of officers coming through. Move, move. That is when i got an idea that something i dont know, i thought maybe there is a bomb threat. Joce you were tryg hallway trying to get in. What we did first, we got on to the tram. And so we were pretty far away. It was okay. We were far away. But it was still lockdown. Get out. t we were trying to get through any door because it was a lockdown procedure. Into a room to get out of the hall. Thats when i started to feel itsy, because i thought like maybe there is somebody prowling around. In thet want to be out open. Joce absolutely. You ended up in Senator Office with Conference Room watching the news develop inside the capitol . Our friend works for senator mikulski. She called them on the cell phone that they would come open up the door. How we got in. Then we got into the Conference Room. Staff. L of her governor omalleys mom. Sitting there watching the tv. Joce surreal moment to watch the unfold, hearing lockdown and trapped in a room. It was very weird. Very strange. Yes. Are glad you made it out okay. I can tell you one thing. I dont remember much of my here four years ago. But this is a tour i wont forget. Joce absolutely. You the scenew here at second and capitol. As you can see when we first ago,d up an hour ambulances, fire engines, police cars. Too numerous to count. Now we are down to a handful. Smaller crowd. A few minutes ago we spotted a metro police cef cathy lanier in the mix in the group see downficers you there. Obviously, as stephen mentioned the pace here, the way, way more calm than it was an hour ago. Well send it back to you. Jonathan understandable. You for that. Again, the situation at the capitol has been resolved. Washington police were quick to put out a note saying this was an isola incident. No active threat to the public. Beautiful day. So many tourists. Spring break. Lot of people in town, tourists in town to enjoy the rich environment and history we have. Capitol is one of the prizes, too. A great building to go through. Visitor center is where the shooting took administration. Now the shooting where the shooting took place. The shooting has now taken place. Jennifer donelan joining us. They can take care of 42,000 time 4,000 people at one time inside the Visitor Center. It is huge. Jennifer it is huge. A ton of people. Constitution avenue, as im sure you know here is back open for business. We have a lot of car travel here. Now we are seeing the officers with the guns out. Long gun, automatic weapon there with the officer. Visitor center just beyond it to your right still lk down. Everything else is open. The Visitor Center will be closed for a while for the investigation. Jonathan, wened, were talking with people as out. Were being exited they all describe a calm situation but a scary situation. Announced there were shots fired. The story from the theater. Going on. Movie a voice that came over the loud speaker that said, this is Capitol Police. Shots fired. Stay in place. The one theater where they were, the people in there describe others being escorted into their theater and out of were in. Er they we have not confirmed where the shooting occurred but they were hearing it happened in a theater. Big question did it happen before or after security . That is being looked into. Source who to a said at this point and its very early on we have no terrorism in to this case. At this point, of course they will comb through the building before theytimes will feel completely safe about this. But they say no other point either. So, we also know that a. T. F. Assistwill move in to in the investigation. D. C. Police as you know. Police chief cathy lanier is on the scene. She is closer to joce stermans live shot. I understand that they are havent speak if they already. We will continue to get the reports from people. But again, this is completely terms of the people escorted out of the area. People are walking around. That was not the case 20 minutes ago. They were not allowing vehicle traffic. Now a lot of people want to go to the Visitor Center not knowing there was a shooting we are having to deliver the bad news. Back to you. Jonathan you have done work with the Law Enforcement. When we talk about the security with the Capitol Building the headline tomorrow is how could this happen . But the fact of the matter is what makes it so great, it is a public place. People who are a member of the public can go to the buildings the building but you do go through a layer of security. People areti themselves how could someone get that close or even inside the Visitor Center with a gun . Jennifer this is always the test that faces all of washington, d. C. The balance between security and allowing people to visit the city and visit the monuments and the capitol of the United States. To be a safeowed place. Again, i am really impressed with all the stories were people coming out. They said that the communication was great, that armed guards with them. We heard a woman story they were escorted immediately down basement. Rs to the and that just as fast as they were going downstairs armed running up the stairs toward the trouble. Everyone describing what very fluide a situation. But organized. You know its organized chaos. Didnt even sound chaotic. Even praising the work of the u. S. Capitol police. And the armed guards here in terms of their response to complaining. These are situations that yes, you often do hear people saying well, we didnt know enough. No one was talking to us. I didnt know what was going on. We didnt hear anything like that. Has been very satisfied today. E response here jonathan which lend itself to the fact they must train and train and train for anything like this or anything else. Jennifer oh, yeah. Jonathan Jennifer Donelan, we appreciate it. Thank you very much. Jennifer were on the heels of the jonathan go ahead. Please go ahead. Jennifer oh, no, i was going tomorrow we have the nuclear summit. As you were just saying this are theea, these departments that train. They train and i know, i was speaking with someone from d. C. Place. They are prepared for this. People visiting are prepared. Isot of people saying this in the back of their mind given what is going on in the world now, given what is going brussels. E i freaked them out them out more but again, even was so happy with the response here today. To have all the children. Gosh. An my jennifer that could have been a recipe for disaster. Im telling you i saw so many class of kids here. It was well maintained. Jonathan Jennifer Donelan at the capitol. Thank you. About that and the number of tourists coming through during spring break. So many classes with the escorts that the are coming with the kids. You know, the Capitol Building is the prize. Greats one of the institutions to go through and tour. In fact, we have video to show you. Visitoride the center. Again, this was built as a reaction to what took place in 1998 with two Capitol Police officers that were gunned down when a man ran into the and opened fire. The thought was they needed more of a barrier between the and getting inside the building. And also an area where visitors and tourists could come through. That right there, you are looking at now is the center. Shortly after the lockdown was alertce and after the went out that said there is an active shooter in the building. You see the lines. Lead to all the layers of security. Inside the Visitor Center there are theaters. Area that people with eat. Skylights. Area wesquare foot are talking about. Some 4,000 people can come through this at any given time Visitor Center. This afternoon when the order went out there was an active shooter they immediately began evacuate the area. They told others to shelter in place. Where they actually had a shelter. Joce sterman again, she is just down the street from where this was happening this afternoon talking to many of the people that were hoping to take a tour of the capitol but ushered quickly out of the building. Joce jonathan, people two capitol. Ally in the im with jared and madeline. They were inside. You are off school today and you were on the tour. This must have freaked you out. What happened . S the tour, the police came running through the go. Way saying, go, go, follow us, follow us. They made us to go in a little down. Here we had to sit be very quiet. Madeline. Behind she was protecting me. I felt really safe behind her. Worried whenu you were sitting there . Yeah, a little bit. Joce you hear about this kind school. In they prepare you for this in school but you didnt expect tour. Happen on your yeah. Joce madeline, you with here with your friend. What goes through your mind . When you show up on the tour and you have to protect him in this. This is my grandson. To do adventures. We say that is because we never know what is going to we go on an adventure. So today we didnt know when this wouldoff that we had an adventure. Well have more adventures tonight but hopefully not like this. Joce when you hear the place, what is going through your have taken him on a tour, family left him in your care. Do you think . Big responsibility. Right away i said hold my hand tight. No matter what stay with me. I sat down and i said you inind me and i will sit front. I felt a responsibility that his parents were counting on me to keep jared safe. Joce how long did you have to sit there before they let you go . Long time. Yeah. Joce think about an hour . Maybe. Joce along the way, are you calling family to say were safe . Drop those concerns . Yeah. We didnt call from that. We just stayed quiet. But then after some of our family called to check because they saw on the news what had happened at the capitol. Ony were trying to check us. Yeah. We told them what happened. By now you have told them everything is safe, we are outside and good. They were very relieved. Worried. They knew we were down here, the two of us. Joce quite an adventure. You expected on the tour. Hopefully the rest of your visit to d. C. Can be less eventful. Talking to us. Jared off from school today in lesson ingetting a basically how the security procedures work in d. C. Back to you. Jonathan all right. Thank you very much. More information to pass along the you right now. According to abc the suspect arrested who is the shooter today at the Visitor Center is a man known to them. From tennessee. He was arrested last october or tryingupting to interrupt a house session. Arrested at that time. Authorities now are saying that that is the same man who went in the and opened fire. Waspitol Police Officer shot. The injuries are not life threatening. The man from tennessee who identifying was arrested the time. Shot. t know if he was we dont know the information. Hopefully we will have more less than 15n minutes time. We are told there is a News Conference scheduled by the 4 30. L police at when that happens we will go to it live. But now back to the studio. Marsh . E michelle i will pick up the coverage from here. If you are just joining us, 4 16. Lets reset with the information we have so far. This began to unfold around 3 00 this afternoon. That is when we got the first report of shots fired near the capitol Visitor Center. All of theely sent crews to the location. This is what we know. Officer we understand has been shot. He is being treated at this hour. We are waiting for an update on his condition. We are understanding his injuries are nonlife threatener. We understand the shooter is now in custody. But we have no details at this hour. As far as whether he suffered thisnjuries during event. Right now you are seeing lots of pictures of people who war building. Capitol exiting. Many of them were under lockdown for 30 to 40 minutes. Stories from witnesses who were rushed level. Irs to a lower members raced to address the threat that happened at Visitor Center. We are getting new information media. E social we have chris papst in our studio working on that angle for us. Chris, what are you seeing online . Chris you mentioned we have getting stories and a lot of coming ons are social media. I can only imagine as soon as this happened, as soon as if shots were fired and the capitol and white house went on Lockdown People got o phone and i instagram and twitter. Want to show you what we found. This is a situation where a man in front of the white house with what looks to be his three kids, takes a picture on an absolutely beautiful late march, spring day. The caption we took one picture and then the secret service cleared the park and put evening d everything on lockdown. Good times. Traveling in your own country. This person wrote im at the and there isclub an active shooter in the capitol Visitor Center. Shot. R prayers for the officer. This came out an hour ago. Says person chris this is a telling and this could encapsulate what happened today. The Washington Monument in the background. The capitol here. This is during the when it was happening. On a busy day. Spring break, Cherry Blossom festival. One person you can see in the entire picture. That is how efficiently the lockdown happened. Person anywhere on the u. S. Capitol lawn. Sheltering in place. As we get more information from the social media and tell stories to bring them to you, we will. From the newsroom, chris papst, abc7 news. Michelle all right, chris. We want to clarify again. When you have breaking news situations like this you often thatnformation officially comes in and then it changes. We want to make sure we are clear on this. The officer in this shooting not been shot. The suspect has been shot. There was confusion but we have it clarified in the last few minute. The suspect has been shot. There are no injuries in terms Capitol Police officers that responded. I also have information that i being reported by cnn want to get to in terms of how all of the events unfolded. Cnn is reporting that the suspect entered the Capitol Center and set off an alarm going through the metal detector. The suspect then entered the capitol, according to cnn. The Visitor Center. That is where the incident happened. An alarm was sounded after he went through the metal that is where he was stopped. Where the suspect drew the gun and pointed it out at the officer. That happening from cnn. Of course have your reporters on the scene there working to confirm the details unfolded. Of this lets go downstairs now to jonathan elias. What are you learning . Jonathan this is a fluid situation. We knew going in a lot of the information does change as it sources that are more, you know, able to talk to reporters. Because when Something Like thingappens the last they have time to do is talk to reporters. So we are hearing now the officer who was alerted by the metal detector was the one who gun and confronted this guy because he pulled out his gun. There was a showdown that took place. The officer did shoot the suspect in this particular case. There was also a female bystander we hear hit by a ricochet or the bullet coming apart after hitting stone, like a shrapnel piece. She was injured as well. And taken to the hospital. Not shot. R was the suspect was shot and a by ander that was hit fragment of the bullet or a ricochet. But it did happen inside the visitors center. Been saying this all afternoon. There is not just one layer, inside there. Rs all of them the opportunity for security and the Capitol Police inside the building to lay eyes on people to see what they are about. Oft is another layer security. They size people up. Bags. Earch this is not a gun is not a stranger to the Capitol Police. He was arrested in october after trying to disrupt a of the house. This was a guy from tennessee picked up already by the Capitol Police. This is according to abc. Events will change as we get to the facts of what really happened there. Things we are picking up from the sources close to the investigation that is just getting started. Then, we have a number of crews out and about. As you know with the tourists people, thousands of spring break. Hundreds of thousands of them. A lot of people want to take a tour of the Capitol Building. The process center through the seeing center, you are video after the order given there is an active shooter and quicklyce were ushering people out of the building. The lines lines there divided be are 4,000 people that can come through the area at any given time. They are all separated. They come through the security. They wait in line. They are shown to better idea of what they will see at the capitol. Others can mill about and there are different areas with Historical Perspective for them to understand what they are about to see. There is a food court inside. Massive area to accommodate the tourists. More importantly this was an began construction in 1998. After two Capitol Police officers were gunned down at the capitol. I was a way to build a buffer from the tourists getting to the capitol and being able to walk through an area where the security could have a better idea of the people accessing the building. A buffer if you will. The idea was in 1998. Aw its up and running and huge center. There are the layers of security. A lot of people made the point this afternoon. Layers ofuse of the security this man was quickly detected right there through detectors. Again, all we know at this point this man the suspect in this case was shot. A woman who was a bystander, perhaps somebody waiting to take the tour was hit fragment or a bullet or ricochet. Her condition is unknown. We are under the assumption its not life threatening for her as well. Jennifer donelan is joining us. Makes more sense when we hear about the gunman in case was the gunshot opposed to the officers. They are really at a point, at a heightened state of alert. Especially now for people that coming through those checkpoints. Jennifer right. You are right. That does make a lot more sense. Again, you know, in the these type of situations the information is coming in. You have to sift through it to the facts. The way the information coming out that makes the most sense. Let me show you what is going on here. This is what they are dealing with at the corner of first northeast. Ution this is the media gaggle. This is ahead of the press conference. When we finally will get the infirmed facts from people the know. We are expecting to see the chief of the u. S. Capitol i understand chief cathy lanier, metropolitan police is well. Ne as but lets get back to amazing what occurred inside the Visitor Center. We spoke to a man raveling here from california traveling here from california. He was inside the theater and he said the movie was playing it over the loud speaker said, u. S. Capitol police. Shots fired. Shots fired. Described. T he the Capitol Building in lockdown. Fired. Repeated twice. We didnt know if it was prerecorded or part of watching thewere video at the time. That. Over the top of people were looking around trying to work out what is going on. When we started to see the exit doors opening and people thing. Jennifer ushering people into your room. Yeah. Shooting wase two theater over and they updated people into our theater that were next door and heard shots. That man so traveling here from California Group inside the theater, children included. Wholso spoke with a woman was it having the area. Oddly enough we havent spoke to any residents of washington, d. C. Have all been tourists who are visiting. Some of them are visiting for the first time. Carol was in a different location. She was not inside a theater she described this amazing response by police. Running and they were scaredded. Quicklyy were ushered into a stairwell. Escorted three floors down. As they were running down the stair, armed guards quickly. This is quickly sound bite. We were getting ready to get to the tour starting at 2 50. We were spending a few minute, like five minutes behind the exhibition hall wall. To rund people yelling into a side door. So there was a bunch of guards. There were some employees, tour employees. Running. Just we took off running and they took us and then we saw as we coming down the stairs to where the hall was, that door, door. Ivate there was a bunch of military Police Coming up with the guns there. Side sous over to one they could run up. Then they took us, what seemed like a very long hall that they said was three levels basement. The they just basically had us stand there for i dont know, 45 minutes. Jennifer back here live at first and constitution. This is washington, d. C. The perfect example of what it is like to be in washington, d. C. Every single network, every Media Organization has a capitol hill bureau. Our station included. You have photographers and reporters who are very nearby on site. Ready so this is the type of response that you are seeing quickly after a situation that developed such as this one this afternoon. So muchis why we see media here. We have crews within that crowd right now. We are waiting the press conference in which we hope to of, youof this sort know, an explanation as to what occurred. Again, jonathan, as you were saying the fact that the gunman was shot by police makes sense given the level layers to the security inside the facility. I cant say it enough. As i talk to more and more around me, the praise that the u. S. Capitol police, security is getting from inside. They had to manage hundreds if not thousands of people in seconds. A number of young people. Parents with their children. Calmbody describing a scene where they were getting communication. Updates. Getting with something unfolding like that, i think hats off to the u. S. Capitol police and inside the building in terms of how it was handled. That is the word we are sidewalk. Om the reporting live. Back to you. Jonathan thank you very much. This is worth repeating with visiting d. C. Right now. Tonight lose your head or get scared. Incident. Isolated its dined. Eunderstand that the capitol chief police steps up, i will stop talking so we listen to what he has to say. So many tourists come here. Thebest part of d. C. Is freedoms we enjoy. Wi are not in a military seat. You wont watcheo around here with the guns and humvees patrolling everything. It is open for the public. You can go through the monuments. You can go along the tidal basin. You can go through the roosevelt. Walk wherever you like. Jefferson is open, the lincoln is open. That is the freedom we enjoy. With it comes the threat that exists. This, the you Capitol Police and the washington police, so many layer of security here. The scenes. Ind they dont stand out in front. If youre at the capitol ishaps at a time that normal you will see the members with the military garb withhave the m4 rifles them. But again, layers of security to let you know you are safe. They dont put it in your face. You can go a lot of places and you will see an officer here and there. Security you dont see is literally one layer back. So for Something Like this to happen today. You hear that the officer was the one that did the shooting quickly because one of the of security caught the person trying to gain entry in the Visitor Center with a there is somebody stepping up right now to the maik phone. Listen in, just a second. Getting ready for the News Conference. If youre visiting dont lose your head. Is isolated incident. There are thousands of people here in washington, d. C. So many wonderful to take advantage of. Capitol tours. Up clear if it will reopen in unclear if it will or two. N a day some streets were affected by this. This is for people at the look to getwho home and the rush hour traffic is bad at it is on a normal day. Jamie sullivan keeping an eye the traffic for us because there are a lot of closures as a result of what happened at the capitol today. Jamie . Have seen a lot of closures. I have good news, though. Capitolng around the reopened. Avenue,tion independence avenue. But its still best to avoid the area. Seeing traffic on constitution at 13 miles per hour. There is just still so much activity. Move for a live look at the gardens. We have light volume. Earlier it was completely blocked off. Exto valueium. No closures extra volume but no closures. Okay. An we are still waiting for a News Conference. As soon as it gets started we away. Ake it right to recap for you if you are just joining us, its almost 4 35. Thatd have a shooting took place at the Visitor Center at the u. S. Capitol building. The best information we have at this hour obviously things can change and they do. The best information we are right now according to the abc and cnn is a man trying to make entry to Visitor Center set off an alarm. Guards immediately fronted him. The Capitol Police. Or man pulled out a gun began shooting or perhaps he didnt get a shot off. Whatever happened the officers shot him. Was drop immediately. We understand that somebody, a woman who was there, we dont her role was. Whether she is the Capitol Police or just a visitor or a a tour. She was hit by a piece of shrapnel from a bullet that hit the side of the wall and came apart or even a ricochet. Whatever it was, she was taken well. Hospital as but again, the gunman in this case, according to abc7 not a the Capitol Police. In october he was arrested for house to disrupt a session. This time trying to come through the Visitor Center gun, confronted the Capitol Police and that is when the shooting took place. The response was massive at the capitol. There are so many layers of security built in the building. They all came to play today as far as working and succeeding in thwarting somebody trying to gain entry. Jennifer donelan is joining us again. She is just outside all the here waiting see for the Capitol Police chief the microphone. Jen . Jennifer hi. Are right. I want to take you and show you this. Come back here, ben, to give them a waiting here. We are at first and constitution. If you look here, Capitol Police. Those are the representatives from the metropolitan police. Cathy lanier will be speaking in addition to the chief of police. Will come upthey over here. We have the place there. Stationsee the union in background. We have not seen them, but as soon as we see them approach it is theand that signal that the press begin. Nce is about to this is now what i call organized chaos. Media. A tough time to get the group together. It. Try to move everybody got upset. Keeping the press conference here. A live look at the podium. We have crews there to get th the presssmit Conference Live to you. Been efficient to get the information. This is, they are having to coordinate. To this. Sed they have to coordinate between all the different Law Enforcement agencies. A dozen law over enforcement agencies within the city. U. S. Capitol police responsible for what happened on the capitol grounds. Responsible for what happens on the outside. Often tames with the certain investigation often times with the certain itstigations, if officerinvolved shooting the d. C. Police will come in and do the investigation. If its a homicide on the capitol grounds, d. C. Police are in charge of that investigation. Interesting to hear whether or not Capitol Police will be leading this information or the d. C. Police will lead the information in terms of what happened. But we did confirm with the sources that early on the inside information was they concerned about links to terrorism. Obviously, i guess ty to get identification interest. Rson of that allayed their fears. To quickly check the premise, once, twice, three times over to make sure there anybody else involved. Once you saw it happen that is when you saw the capitol come up. The lockdown. They have to keep the Visitor Center on lockdown the scene ofis the investigation. They have to keep it clear for while. Many people asking when can they return to Visitor Center. There is no telling at this point. Being there was not a fatality involved it may not be as long. An because this is officerinvolved shooting there are Standard Operating Procedures to follow. It can take a while. For anying around activity. This is the most we have seen in terms of seeing the representatives up here to that the press conference is about to begin. Im not seeing anyone come down the as we see motion this is about to get started we a heads up. U jonathan appreciate it. Please do. Another thing, too. People who at the normal work you have fire drills. You have active shooter drills. The things they tell you. Listen, pay attention. If you hear a siren you have to go to an exit. And have the drills at the Capitol Building. I want to play the videotape from earlier. You to listen to how orderly it is with the Capitol Police to get people out of Visitor Center and get them to shelter. Watch. To this and we are trying to get the video. Well get it for you in a second. Let me know when we get it. The Visitor Center. You can see the guard telling people. Not panicking or screaming but he is telling everybody we have to move. We have the video now. Watch this. Come on. Go. Go. Come on. Jonathan you can hear him. The officer very calm. People you have to get to the exit. They are trained at the capitol and the other places touristsot of gather. Panic is probably just as bad as a terrorist. People rush for the exit and trample each other, they dont want that. They want it orderly and quickly. They are trained in how to do this. Visitor today at the center and got everybody out of there safely. When the man was going through therity with a gun and alarm went off the capitol guy. E confronted this that is when the shooting took place. The capitol went in lockdown ushered the people in the open area, they got them to shelter or out of building. Th the training and the practice they put in these drills with an active shooter. A dozenbably have different scenarios they are constantly training for. Of those things that the training kicked in and it is a reaction. More opposed to somebody to panic and scream and get everybody worked up. He was hear how calm to get everyone to the exit. All the layers in place and the training they seem to now be employing is working pretty well. When an officer confronts securityapt the checkpoint somebody at the security checkpoint with a gun, that is why is it there. To catch those people. Late word we are getting from abc is the man who was involved in todays shooting stranger to Capitol Police. This is a guy from tennessee a housed to disrupt session in rocket session arrested. And was they are saying that this is the same guy that came in with the gun and opened fire. All the details and the facts. Hopefully next few minutes when we wait for News Conference to get started. The Capitol Police chief will front of the microphones and give us a better idea of inside thelace Visitor Center. We know she will give us a better idea. We know at the capitol now it is open for business as far as people who are inside. Isry ses for the senate and the house. But there are people doing business. Lobbies go in the building. For the visitors and the tourists it is shut down now. Wille to believe they get this back open for the visitors because they recognize this is spring break. We have hundreds of thousands of people right now in town enjoying washington, d. C. Lets go back to Jennifer Donelan. Are they getting ready to start this thing . I just saw police chief cathy lanier. Ben, have you walk with me. Fluid situation here. Up. Car pulled that is a good indicator. That is her car. In the front passenger seat. So she is arriving here on scene. Across theling street. I assume that the capitol is not with her at the moment. Officials are getting out of another marked vehicle across the street and it looks like thee moments away from press conference. Hopefully, a lot of the things that you have been talking jonathan, a lot of the questions we have been raising since this unfolded. Will be able to that. I have been trying to listen to your coverage and also get out here and talk to people. Am unclear to whether or not this happened before or after detectors. What have you learned so far . Jonathan our understanding of what is reported according to cnn it was right at the point where you are going through the metal detector. Metal deckthe techor because of his gun. That is when the confrontation took place and the shoot if he had gone through security and rang the bell and nobody did anything that is a problem. But the fact he was immediately confrontedded at that point from all we are getting now would lead us to believe the security is working. Whether the capitol wants to review the security procedures and perhaps put another layer of security outside the building, perhaps you go through the security before you get in the building, i dont know. I think they dont want to live in aant to police state or a martial law chure where it looks like every martial law posture where it looks like everywhere you turn there is another layer of security. Jennifer absolutely. There are always Lessons Learned with all of the situations. Many people who live here will recall the shooting at the holocaust museum. Wasshooter in that case able to hide a long gun inside pants andinside his was able to walk in holocaust museum. He didnt make it through but he got inside the lobby and he did shoot and kill one of the security guards. That led to people looking at about security and how we secure the buildings in nations capitol. Are right. They may have to look at possibly another layer of security. The fact he made it up to and inside the building. The machine worked. It did its job. Catch it. Able to interesting to hear what the will say about that. And their reaction to that. They are standing across the street. Is outsidemmander the car. Police chief cathy lanier has of yet. Ed the vehicle you u. S. Capitol police is over there with her. They always do reviews after like this. Ts they get together. The different departments. They review what happened. Learned fromons the navy yard scare last had a year. Things have changed. We understand communication was better in the scare of a the navyshooting at yard. They do learn from the cases. Have to. You have to be fluid. You have to be ready to make changes. Because situations change. Changed since 2001. She is still sitting in the car. Im not sure what is Holding Things up here. Thats all right. Jennifer unclear. Jonathan she is probably is probably just getting briefed, jen. Yep. Fer absolutely. Jonathan something to share with you jennifer we have the abc7 crews. Jonathan something to share with you when you talk about this. Friends of mine in military beauty ofid the d. C. , especially from a tourist perspective is you can come and go as you freely. Go and access the buildings and the monuments and the memorials without any problem whatsoever. A soft considered target. No way to guard against it completely. You can have security on hand and close by. It all over the place but you cant stop isolated incident like this. Few of them they said that is the price of freedom. That is the country we live in. We do not live in a police state. We dont have martial law. You can come and go as you want. That is the beauty and the price of freedom. That is the problem is with an incident like this. Set off the alarm bells. That is what triggered this response. Jennifer absolutely. We did set off the guard with the gun. That did alert the police to the situation. That worked. Can walk inyou and out of the Smithsonian Museum with no problems at all. There are no metal metal detectors. And same with metro. The chief of the Capitol Police behind me. This is about to start. They are approaching the podium. Now we know what police chief cathy lanier was waiting on. We have all the players. Is justs conference about to begin. Abc7 crews we have there in the gaggle right surrounding i can see several of our reporters there. You will be able to watch this live. Our viewers will be presso watch the entire conference life. Jonathan let them know what the chiefs. There was a shooting at the u. S. Capitol. The visitorin center. This is an area where thousands of people literally every single day go through. Layers of security. Once you are inside there are all kind of fun things you can do before the capitol. Movie theaters that show you a perspective of what you are about to see. Historical area. Food court. This is a massive area. This is on the side of the capitol. You gain entry. This was an area that was built as a result of what took in 1998 the capitol when two Capitol Police gunned down. The thought was after that we need a buffer. We need something to take people can just rush in the building. So they put a Visitor Center together. Its absolutely beautiful. Again, today, the alarm bells went off on one of the first layer of security. After that took place a confrontation between the Capitol Police officer and the triggered the alarm. We dont know if its a complete shootout if the man theed out a gun and officer opened fire. But the officer did shoot the man. A woman, who we are not sure Capitol Police officer, bystander, tourist. We have no idea. She was hit by either a ricochet of a bullet or aing from meant hitting a stone in the building and coming apart and hitting her. We are not getting any indication she suffered a life threatening injury but she was taken to the hospital. Listen in as the news geterence is about to started. Every day thousands of visit the United States capitol. Over 2 million a people of screened through the capitol Visitor Center. 2 39 at approximately p. M. , an adult male subject entered the north screening facility of the capitol Visitor Center. During routine administrative screening the individual drew what appeared to be a weapon s. D pointed it at officer an officer fired and struck the suspect who was subsequently treated by the medical personnel. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the treatment. R the suspect is undergoing his condition is unknown at this time. A weapon was recovered on the scene. The congressional complex was and the uscp ordered shelter in place. Based on the initial 3 40 p. M. ,on at the lockdown was lifted and for thedings except cbc which remains processing scene. Me suspects vehicle has been located an capitol grounds. Of will be cleared hazards. And seized pending service of search warrant. An uninvolved 35yearold to bystanderd female also suffered what appeared to be minor injuries and was hospital. D to the no officers were injured. It has not been determined as to how many officers fired their weapons. U. S. Capitol Police Investigation division, the Capitol Police officer, professional responsibility, are conducting investigations into this matter. Stress that much of this information is still very preliminary. That whiletress this is preliminary, based on the initial investigation we act of that this is an a Single Person who has groundsed the capitol before. And there is no reason to believe that this is anything criminal act. As Additional Information is gained, ill provide as much as i can through the Public Information office. Want to assure the american and the visiting public that the u. S. Capitol Police Protect continue to the capitol and the c. B. C. , for all who visit. Order of regular business tomorrow morning. Capitol Visitor Center so people can safely visit the United States capitol and the offices. Again, this is preliminary information. As we get more information, i provide it through our regular p. I. O. Sources. Suspect knownhe to you, known to the capitol . Olice capitol chief we believe the us. Ect is known to reporter how is he known to you . Chief previous conducts. Reporter is this the individual that disrupted the fall, theber last gentleman from tennessee . Chief i cant comment on that. Charged been fired . Chief not at this point. Reporter there has been talk lately in light of what happened in brussels, this check point at the c. B. C. Designed to identify a threat before it could get into the capitol. Wasthis work the way it designed today . Are you satisfied with the response . Chief it appears that the process works the way it was supposed to. That is correct. Again, this is preliminary. Want as much information as i can possibly give you but because things i dont want to give you bad information. I would rather give you the information when we confirm it. To provide as much information as i can so you can certainly get it out, get the public. Much. To thank you very the weaponow was get through security . The capitolat was police chief talking about what has happened outside the Visitor Center today or inside the Visitor Center today. Just to recap. Security levels are layers place at the Visitor Center. They worked as they should. A man who was known to the Capitol Police tried to get the Visitor Center today, set off an alarm because he had a gun on him. His gun and pointed it at officers. Officers we dont know if its one or a few opened fire and striking the man. Hospital. En to the we werent given the indication his injuries are bystander, perhaps a tourist was also hit by either injured. , she was taken to the hospital. Her injuries they called minor. Situation where a shooting at the capitol forced the Capitol Building into a lockdown. Shelterinplace order out to everybody who works there. Both houses the senate and the recess right now. That doesnt mean that the building is empty. There are a lot of people capitol build doing the work of the government. Those people were told to shelter in place. Doors. Hide. In light of what is going on around the world this is a terrifying time. But quickly thereafter the thedown order was lifted, capitol was reopened for business, not for tourists. The nice thing that the chief said there they are going to get the Visitor Center he said back open tomorrow. Because again, this is spring break. We have hundreds of thousands the capitolsiting right now. A lot of people who are the tour today are wondering what will they do now . Hopefully they will offer more tour groups tomorrow to accommodate people who were shut out or locked out from todays availability to tour the capitol. But again, tomorrow he said they hope to have everything normal. And running as he was quick to describe this situation as a criminal act. Out instead of a terrorist act. This was an individual known to them. A history with the Capitol Police. From our sources at abc this is the guy who tried to disrupt the house session in october. Was arrested at that time. Theymade it sound like have had involvement with this guy beyond that. Accesse tried to gain to the Capitol Building through the Visitor Center with a gun and was shot. Usnifer donelan is joining outside the News Conference, the gaggle of the reporters right there. Incident. Solated at this point, one thing i hope we stress to folks at tourists dont lose your head. This happens all over the country. Just for this case was the u. S. Capitol building which will get headlines all over world now. Jennifer right. When a guy jumps over the its at the White House National headlines. Why the act itself, if it occurred somewhere else may major news, because it happened here it certainly is. Significance of what could have happened. And you know, anytime we have a threat to security of the capitol, the white house, anywhere, any of the targets in the area and is table able to isak through security that a major concern. The alleged gunman in this case was shot. Worry about what can happen if the security there. Were not he said he went through he was at the checkpoint on the checkpoint of Visitor Center. He got to the check point and he withdrew the weapon. That is concerning he weapon. But then you hear the chief say officers fired. Weaponswithdrew the as quickly and were able to get off shots before he was. We do not know if he discharged or not. We know he withdrew his weapon. Press conference very short. The chief again, in all them. Ss to this is all happening. That i have to interview everybody there on the scene. Officers to, all the in the area and the witnesses in the area. That takes time. If you have ever been witness to an event, if you could have two people standing and watching the same event, participating in the same event and have different experiences. They have to comb through the witness interviews. Is verye also, which important and we were hearing this from sources, from the on they did not believe this was an act of terrorism. That this particular person as abc news was reporting was known to u. S. Capitol police. Th press conference specifically about the incident in the last fall. Ers they have to be careful about this person. So he is saying what he can. Familiar tohe is us but he didnt name the suspect. The suspect id like to know injuries. The he is in surgery. I dont believe, jonathan, correct me if im wrong i was it as it was going on. I do not believe they gave a condition yet. I dont know if the condition grey, serious. But condition is grave or serious. The fact he is in surgery. We dont know how many officers fired shots or how was shot. He all of that will come out and we will look for that shortly. On as well jonathan thank you. I hope we get updated information. The things give me a second here. [clearing throat] as these things play out we are getting a better idea of what take place. This is for the tri like thisen things before. But for the tourists the hundreds of thousands of aurists in town this is situation by tomorrow hopefully will be cleared up and you will have access to the Capitol Building again. Want to call ahead or check the website to make sure. Those who lost out of the tour the capitol that is something to clear if there are makeup or makegoods they are offering. In the meantime, the investigation does continue at the Visitor Center of the Capitol Building. Scene today of a shooting. A man who tried to gain entry. Went through a medal detectors. The alarm went off. Pulled a gun. Drew it. Pointed it at the Capitol Police. They immediately fired. He was shot and taken to the hospital. Woman betweena the ages of 3545 was either by ay bullet or hit fragment of a ricochet. She was taken to the hospital listed asnditions minor. We are monitoring the conditions closely at the capitol. Changes well let you know. We are always online. Check the webte for us at abc7 news at 4 00. We are now going to turn it the abc7 news at 5 00 news team. Eon and allison leon tonight, gunfire at the u. S. Capitol Visitor Center. We heard somebody yelling run. The most stressful experience in my life. Leon a suspect in custody. Shieldy rushing to visitors. My husband and children are inside. Live teams coverage continues. Day, chaosf the erupting at the capitol. After shots ring out at the Visitor Center. Alison the order to shelter in place has been lifted in the senate. D but the Visitor Center is still closed. We have Team Coverage tonight. Well start with Stephen Tschida on the scene on hill. L stephen an intense situation. 2 30. Ivedded after that is moment down. Video to show you what the area looked like at that time. As we got here we saw throngs of people pouring from the capitol. Raced up the hill to Visitor Center we encountered a u. S. Capitol Police Officer. She drove us back and told us to get going, get out of the area. A very intense situation. We understand a raced up the hiy known to the u. S. Capitol police came through the the metaltector detector at 2 39. Went off. He pulled a weapon. He pointed it at Capitol Police officers. They opened fire. We talked with the people as they were rushing out of the center. Moments after this went down. This is what one of them had to say. Were sitting outside. We just toured the library of congress. We were sitting outside. And we saw a mass of people running from the capitol screaming, shooter, run for your lives