Police with K9s in park near the US Capitol after the incident. #wtop pic.twitter.com/0TwdouzUjh
— Mike Murillo (@MikeMurilloWTOP) March 28, 2016
Visitors are now exiting the @uscapitol. #wtop pic.twitter.com/jjGMG0eP38
— Mike Murillo (@MikeMurilloWTOP) March 28, 2016
Constitution Ave near the US Capitol. #wtop pic.twitter.com/cUB8JHSJfR
— Mike Murillo (@MikeMurilloWTOP) March 28, 2016
WASHINGTON — A man who drew a weapon inside a security checkpoint at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center was shot by police Monday afternoon and led to a lockdown of the Capitol and surrounding complex during the height of the spring tourism season.
The man, identified as 66-year-old Larry Dawson of Tennessee, was taken to the hospital where he was in surgery. He is currently listed in critical, but stable condition.
A bystander suffered minor injuries and was also taken to the hospital, said U.S. Capitol Police Chief Matthew Verderosa.
No one else was injured.
Verderosa says Dawson drew “what appeared to be a weapon and pointed the weapon at officers” during a routine screening about 2:40 p.m.
Police said he had visited the Capitol previously. Verderosa said police had located Dawson’s car, which would be searched, but they believed he acted alone.
“There is no reason to believe that this is anything more than a criminal act,” Verderosa said.
Police say Dawson had been ordered to stay away from the Capitol and congressional buildings after he was arrested in October for disrupting Congress. He missed a court date and a warrant was issued for his re-arrest. In January, he wrote a letter claiming that the law did not apply to him. according to court records.
He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon and assault on a police officer while armed.
The shooting prompted the entire sprawling Capitol Hill complex to be placed on lockdown and staff and visitors were ordered to shelter in place. The lockdown was lifted at 3:40 p.m.
The White House was also briefly locked down as a security precaution.
“I want to assure the American and visiting public that the U.S. Capitol Police officers continue to protect the Capitol and the (Visitor Center) for all who visit,” Verderosa said.
Tourists already inside described being led out of an exhibit to a basement area while heavily armed police rushed by them.
“We just heard people yelling to get us out of the theater,” said Carol Archambeault of Burbank, California. “We could see people full out running so we started running, because we didn’t know what was going on.”
Other visitors were turned away from the Capitol as emergency vehicles flooded the street and the plaza on the building’s eastern side. Police, some carrying long guns, quickly cordoned off the streets around the Capitol, The Associated Press reported.
“Right outside the door, there was a guy sitting there with a machine gun, so that made it pretty safe,” said Will Foucault of Neenah, Wisconsin.
The shooting unfolded amid one of the busiest tourist seasons of the year as thousands of visitors flock to D.C. to see the blooming cherry blossom trees.
Earlier in the day, officials conducted an unrelated shelter-in-place drill at the Capitol. Although most lawmakers were out of town, staffers were still at work in their Capitol Hill offices.
Staff were told to expect to see extra security including police dogs and tactical officers in the wake of the shooting.
Officials announced the U.S. Capitol Complex returned to normal operations around 9 p.m. Monday.
The Visitor Center, the main gateway and security checkpoint for guests to access the Capitol, is expected to reopen Tuesday morning for regular business, Verderosa said.
More than 2 million people per year are screened at the Visitor Center, said Verderosa, who took charge of the Capitol Police agency just last week.
Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton said that the security features of the Visitor Center worked as they were designed and that Capitol Police acted appropriately.
WTOP’s Mike Murillo, Michelle Basch and Amanda Iacone contributed to this report.
