Gunfire report prompts lockdown of building that is used by Congress

WASHINGTON — In the end, construction noise, not gunfire, was the likely culprit in the nearly five-hour lockdown at the Rayburn House Office Building on Friday.

That was the "plausible explanation" a Capitol Police spokeswoman said officers were studying after a phoned-in report of gunfire Friday set off chaos and confusion.

"There were some workers who were working in the area of the Rayburn garage in the elevator area, and in doing their routine duties, they made some sort of a noise that sounded like shots fired," spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said.

The gunfire report originated with Rep. Jim Saxton, R-N.J., who had his staff call Capitol Police. "I heard what I thought to be between six and 10 shots. It sounded exactly like gunfire to me," Saxton told Fox News Channel.

Later Friday, asked if he felt sheepish, Saxton said he was merely doing what anyone should do: "If you see something suspicious, you should report it." He praised the Capitol Hill police for responding quickly to the call.

The Rayburn building was locked down about 10:30 a.m. EDT. Within 15 minutes, members of Congress and others who work in the building received an e-mail from the Capitol Hill Police Department on beeperlike devices issued after Sept. 11, 2001. The message said to stay put, move into offices and stay away from windows as police conducted a floor-by-floor search.

Lawmakers and staff members praised the police for the quick response, saying they heeded the instructions as authorities searched the 2.4-million-square-foot building for the alleged gunman. Few House members were in town because the House adjourned Thursday for the Memorial Day recess, but many office workers who were inside had to stay put.

The Senate was in session. Two nearby office buildings used by House members were not locked down. The U.S. Capitol was locked down briefly.

Nearly two hours into the search, police issued another alert that sounded like something out of a spy thriller: "Police officers will knock three times on each office door, announce 'United States Capitol Police,' knock three additional times, and then voice the code word 'baseball.' Open your office doors for the police and cooperate with all police instructions."

The call led police to briefly seal the Capitol and spend several hours searching the largest House office building as staff members and a few lawmakers were kept inside.

Outside the building, officers with rifles stood by and ambulances arrived. But in the end, police said there were no arrests, injuries or — apparently — gunfire.

"Right now we want to err on the side of caution," Schneider had said before the all-clear, which came shortly after 3 p.m.

One congressional staff member was taken to a hospital after having a panic attack during the lockdown and search, Schneider said. The woman was released a short time later.