Pentagon goes on high alert after gunfire on Capitol Hill

The order went out at the Pentagon Thursday afternoon, shortly after Capitol Hill police opened fire on a female suspect who had attempted to brake through a security barrier near the Capitol. 

{mosads}The Capitol building, as well as surrounding House and Senate office buildings were placed on lockdown as police secured the crash site at Constitution and New Jersey avenues NW. 

Terry Gainer, the Senate sergeant at arms, told reporters a Capitol Police officer was injured in a car crash during the incident but added the injuries are not life threatening.

Gainer said there was a child in the female suspect’s car who was uninjured and taken to a local hospital.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Kim Dine said at a press conference near the Capitol that the incident began near the White House. 

The police pursued the vehicle as it headed in the direction of the Capitol, Dine said. It first struck a police car, and the suspect’s car eventually crashed into a barricade, Dine said. 

No shots were fired at the Capitol and the gunfire was from police officers attempting to bring the suspect’s car to a stop, he said. 

He could not comment on the condition of the suspect, but noted it was likely an “isolated incident” after Capitol Police secured the scene and lifted the lockdown order. 

“At this time, those scenes are secure,” he said. 

However, increased security measures remain in place at the Pentagon. 

Thursday’s incident comes weeks after a deadly mass shooting at the Navy’s Washington headquarters at the Navy Yard in Southeast D.C. 

Former Navy Petty Officer Aaron Alexis shot and killed 12 people during a shooting spree at the Navy Yard before being killed by law enforcement during the Sept. 16 stand off. 

— Rebecca Shabad contributed to this report.