One anonymous phone call and the media is off to the races. Someone heard a gunshot on the same parking level of the Rayburn House Office Building where the firing range is located and it's lockdown time, room to room searches, and lobbyists locked in hearing rooms sizing each other up to find the best cuts of meat for a late lunch.
As a reporter on Fox News said a few minutes ago, "Nobody's been arrested, nobody's been captured, and nobody's been injured." He could have gone farther to point out that nobody's even seen a gunman or figured out who made the phone call that started all of this. But the Capitol Police are taking the report seriously nonetheless and I imagine those being told to stay in their offices and hearing rooms and the cafeteria with assault-rifles pointed at them are taking it pretty seriously as well.
Having worked on the house side of Capitol Hill and having spent a lot of time in the Rayburn Building, I can attest to the fact that it's a huge building and damned hard to control. Not only does it have a complex design with multiple corridors connecting different parts of the building, but there are also scores of exits and entrances, multiple levels and elevators spaced far apart, a huge multilevel parking garage, and secret underground tunnels which many who work there are fully aware of. There's an underground subway system, which the public generally doesn't know about, public tunnels to the capitol, and there are hidden steam tunnels all over the place that are large enough to walk through and that provide access to all of downtown DC, though most people aren't aware of them. As I understand it, some of these means of access have been sealed off since I worked there. Back in those days, you could sneak in and out of the building at will if you had some balls and some basic tools. It was a favorite target of building 'hackers.'
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Dave Nalle
Here's a tiny revelation. The Capitol Police issue secret passwords to Hill staffers so they can identify themselves in a crisis situation and not get shot. Interesting tidbit.
Dave
2 - Dave Nalle
Sometimes, in situations like this, with nothing really happening, a talking head does come up with a good point. Someone on one of the news channels pointed out earlier that this sort of crisis and the coverage are a great resource for terrorists who would like to attack the capitol, because it shows them what they're up against and where the vulnerabilities are.
Dave
3 - Dave Nalle
Three hours and they still don't know if shots were even fired...
Dave
4 - SteveS
Sounds like a diversion.
5 - Dave Nalle
Diversion from what?
Dave
6 - SteveS
I dunno.
7 - Sean
There's a firing range in the Rayburn Building? You learn something new everyday.
I'll ask the obvious question: Why?
8 - Dave Nalle
For the Capitol Police to practice. Plus it's a little known fact that almost every member of Congress - even many of those most for gun control for the rest of us - carries a gun, and they need a place to practice too.
Dave
9 - Dave Nalle
Ooh, exciting. They're starting to let people out of the building after almost 4 hours of nothing.
Dave
10 - Dave Nalle
Meanwhile, over on the Senate side work continues, with Gen. Hayden being approved as head of the CIA by a 78 to 15 vote.
dave
11 - Michael J. West
You could almost file this under "satire," Dave.
12 - Dave Nalle
On reflection I probably should have, Michael.
Dave
13 - Dave Nalle
Breaking News - our long morning of terror is over. The 2 million plus square feet of the Rayburn building have been cleared. No one has any idea what actually happened, but the building appears to be safe. Somehow this reminds me of the kid who has a test that day calling in a false fire alarm so his school is shut down and the test is cancelled.
Maybe if we all phoned in false reports we could shut down the government permanently and the country would be better off.
Dave
14 - Michael J. West
The local news here in DC has the answer. It was an air hammer being used by a construction crew.
15 - Michael J. West
Somehow this reminds me of the kid who has a test that day calling in a false fire alarm so his school is shut down and the test is cancelled.
Funny you should mention...apparently all the District schools went into lockdown mode over this, too.
16 - DrPat
It reminds me more of the pompous newsman (played by Chevy Chase on SNL) announcing dramatically, "This just in -- Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead!"
This just in -- no Congressmen (or -women!) were harmed today as an unidentified gunman (or woman!) fired shots in or near the Rayburn Office Building firing range.
The tense standoff concluded as Capital Police were finally admitted to Congressman Jefferson's office....
Oh, sorry, mixed up the two news stories!
17 - RogerMDillon
"this sort of crisis and the coverage are a great resource for terrorists who would like to attack the capitol, because it shows them what they're up against and where the vulnerabilities are."
You mean like pointing out "The Capitol Police issue secret passwords to Hill staffers"?
18 - Dave Nalle
Yes, Roger, but I'm pretty sure that since MSNBC announced it on air, my mention is pretty meaningless.
dave
19 - RogerMDillon
MSNBC aired it live, so it no longer exists over their airwaves. You have posted it online where it will remain for all to see, and was the only place I've seen this information.
What is accomplished by passing on security measures? You're either part of the solution or your part of the problem.
20 - Dave Nalle
OMG, I'm a traitor, Roger. I'm going to destroy my TiVo immediately since it has a recording of the broadcast. I forgot to factor in the fact that BC has more readers than MSNBC has viewers. But I also saw it in a Fox News report, and I know they're tops of the terrorist viewing list.
Dave
21 - MCH
Roger, please, how dare you question the patriotism of a Karl Rove wannabe?
22 - RogerMDillon
Never said you were a traitor; just a fool like Geraldo. How many people can see it on MSNBC from this point forward? None. How many people can see it here on BC from this point forward? Potentially thousands a day.
23 - sr
Just another day of America looking stupid. For sure terrorists must roll on the floor laughing on camel hair prayer rug's at this. Just like the DC Police blow up a suspicious package, usually with old underwear inside. Of course it could be nuke underwear. Holy frecking Bat Boy. How rediculess we must look. Must admit as an American Im imbarished. All the major networks including FOX, which I always watch suck.
This I just picked up. Not sure if valid. Nancy Pussyeosi, Pelosi, Pisseosi or what ever had a bad case of flatulence which sounded like gun shots. The news said someone could smell gunpowder. Wonder what Nancy ate for breakfast.
Just another stinken day for all the jerk-offs in DC.
How did we ever get this far. It's called Memorial Day. Most Americans think Memorial Day is for Mr. or Ms. Bud and bring on the BBQ. To my fellow VETS, I SALUTE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE FREEDOM THAT WAS PAID WITH THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ON OUR HOLIDAY.
sr
24 - SteveS
I think using passwords would be a given during situations like that. I saw a report saying that Capitol Hill police would come to the closed doors and give a code word so that people locked inside the rooms would know it was them.
And Dave, I think I know what this was a diversion for now. The Iraq massacre which is getting little coverage.
It's the way things work.
25 - Dave Nalle
Yah, Roger was just busting my balls gratuitously. Recognition methods like that are used all the time in situations like this.
As for distracting from the 'massacre', I doubt this will do it. With the marines coming up for court martial it's not going anywhere.
Dave