WASHINGTON (AP) — Witnesses and officials say a woman driving a car with a young child inside tried to ram through a White House barricade, led police on a chase toward the Capitol, where police shot and killed her.
The child was taken from the car to a hospital. Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrence Gainer says he knows of no harm to the child. Tourists watched the shooting unfold on Constitution Avenue outside the Capitol today as lawmakers inside debated how to end a government shutdown.
Police quickly locked down the entire complex temporarily, and both houses of Congress went into recess. Texas Congressman Michael McCaul, citing a Homeland Security Department briefing, said the woman was killed. Asked if she was armed, he replied: “I don’t think she was. There was no return fire.” Police described it as an isolated event and saw no indications of terrorism.