Gun in Capitol Scare Plastic, Police Say

Associated Press ^ | Thu, Oct 30, 2003

[presidio9]

A female worker brought a Halloween costume and a plastic gun into a congressional office building on Thursday, prompting an extraordinary shutdown of the House of Representatives, police told local television.

The woman walked away from the security checkpoint before an officer was able to stop her, Chief Terrance Gainer told WRC-TV. He said there was no danger.

The Cannon Office Building was shut down more than an hour, as police searched for two suspects — a man and a woman.

Officials had said the man ran after security checkpoints detected a gun in his bag.

The incident prompted the House to go into recess.

[TomServo]

I used to have a gun that scared Polyester..

[glock rocks]

did the guy that ran look like Chuckie Schumer?

[Atlas Sneezed]

Perhaps this was designed to assist the gun grabbers in their efforts to ban plastic guns, because they can't be detected by X-ray...

Oh, never mind.

[Labyrinthos]

Am I missing something? Two people go through security, and the x-ray shows the image of a gun in the possession of each person. One person, who walked away from the security check point before she could be questioned further, is later found with a toy gun, which was part of a Holloween costume. The other person, who grabbed his bag and ran from the security check point, is later found, but the report makes no mention whether he possessed a gun, real or fake. Seems to me that there may be a real gun planted someplace in the building for use at a later time.

[Frank_Discussion]

I just thought of that, too. Think the grabbers will try it? Some of them are that stupid, y'know.

[presidio9]

Not sure about that, but it really does go to show how vulnerable the Keysone Kops at security checkpoints continue to leave us. This is the central point of our government, for crying out loud. If I'm running security, nobody gets in without my say so. Understand.

[E Rocc]

Did they call in SWAT*

* Special Water Attack Team.

-Eric

[1Old Pro]

Shouldn't we give these two MEDALS?? Afterall, isn't that what they wantd to do for the kid who illegally smuggled boxcuttes onto airplanes? We should rewar all bankrobbers to, as long as they eventually return the money.

Oh, we should rewar people who pull fire alarms when there are no fires, it's just good training isn't it?

[ASA Vet]

The box cutters had no blades.

[presidio9]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&e=1&u=/ap/20031030/ap_on_go_co/congress_intruder

WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives was ordered shut down Thursday following reports of a security breach at a congressional office building nearby, but police swiftly determined that a Halloween costume and plastic revolver were to blame.


Reuters Photo


AP Photo
Slideshow: Gun Scare at House Office Building




Capitol police also said they had apprehended a suspect, according to an aide who said he heard the information via a pager system operated by security officials.


Start to finish, the incident lasted two hours or less — but it instantly triggered a massive response in an age of terrorism.


U.S. Capitol Police Chief Terence Gainer told reporters the incident resulted from "two staff members bringing in Halloween costumes....I don't think they had any ill intent," he said.


He said the staff aides stopped to chat with security personnel after placing a bag on a security station X-ray belt at the entrance to the Cannon House Office Building, then went into their building. Moments later, security officials noticed the image of a gun, and triggered an alarm.


Gainer said the two staff aides are "very sorry this all happened," and the security personnel had performed "well within standards."


Gainer was still fielding questions from reporters when the bells rang in the House side of the Capitol, indicating that lawmakers were being called back into session.


The preceding two hours were anything but routine, though, as the perceived security breach triggered an immediate massive response.


Police invaded the office building, mounting a room-by-room search for the suspect or suspects in the case.


Two or three officers were quickly stationed at the underground entrances to the Capitol from each of several House office building. Outdoors, security barriers were raised to prevent vehicles from approaching buildings in the Capitol complex. Police in SWAT gear also materialized.


The incident triggered memories of a far more lethal incident on July 24, 1998, when a man with a history of mental illness rushed into the Capitol and killed two security guards. The accused shooter, Russell E. Weston Jr., is awaiting trial.


In the chaotic moments after Thursday's incident, the congressman who chairs the committee overseeing House administration procedures told reporters that the image seen by security personnel "could be a toy gun."


"But it could be real," said Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio.


Not long after a review of security videotapes, a police spokeswoman, Jessica Gissubel, told reporters, "We do now believe it is a revolver."


Then, another twist.


One lawmaker, whom Gainer did not name, had contacted Capitol police to report that his aides were the two people authorities were looking for. Security personnel raced to the office and learend abouit the costume and toy gun.


"I don't think anybody was trying to trick anybody,. I think it was just an unusual set of Halloween circumstances that unfolded on us," he said.





The names of the two staff aides were not disclosed.

Rep. Philip Crane, R-Ill., chairing a commitee meeting at the time the incident occurred, interrupted the hearing to announce that the alert had been lifted.

"It was a Halloween prank. A very stupid thing for whoever did it," he said.

[KantianBurke]

"The incident triggered memories of a far more lethal incident on July 24, 1998, when a man with a history of mental illness rushed into the Capitol and killed two security guards. The accused shooter, Russell E. Weston Jr., is awaiting trial."

Its been 5 YEARS! And this guy is still "awaiting trial?" WTF?

[hankbrown]

Also wondering why these two did not hear the order to evacuate the building. If they were so innocent, would not they have proceeded to leave with the rest. Inquiring minds want to know.

[presidio9]

Its been 5 YEARS! And this guy is still "awaiting trial?" WTF?

I don't think he's ever been declared competant. The guy was really bonkers if I remember correctly.

[Oztrich Boy]

Would you care to retract your alarmist speculation?

Toy Gun Prompts Shutdown at U.S. Capitol

"Gainer said the staff aides had stopped to chat with security personnel after placing a bag on a security station X-ray belt at the entrance to the office building, then went into their building. Moments later, security officials noticed the image of a gun on a video screen, and triggered an alarm. "

[cinFLA]

"Moments later, security officials noticed the image of a gun on a video screen, and triggered an alarm. "


Sounds like somebody was not doing his job ...

[autoresponder]

I saw (D-NY) Rep. Carolyn McCarthy run out in front of the CNN cameras today to get free campaign facetime.

This smells like an anti-gun setup in 100% gun-banned DC (for over 27 years)

Gun control agendas are dead in Congress (firearms trained teenagers seem to be useful now in Iraq) and today the GW economy was reported with a 7%+ growth quarter, the highest in the last 19 years.

Neither the congressman or his female staffers names were mentioned.

On a phone call to Rep. Chris Shays CT staff office I said the 2 women should be instantly fired and banned from any and all future US government employment.

Their names released instantly to all media outlets as well as which Rep. they worked for.

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy claimed the Capitol Police did not alert her by phone or thru her dumb Blackburro; Rep. Chris Shays staff said all Congrssman were alerted as the Capitol Police said on CNN.

Is Rep. Carolyn McCarthy deaf or just a lying scuzzy dem anti-gunner looking for free oportunistic face time on CNNand network TV?

The Capitol was shut down for about 2 hours this afternoon.

We have been waiting for a cheap trick like this from the anti-gun crowd.

I don't care if the Rep. is Republican, democrat, Independent, Socialist, Commie; I want these 2 women fired now, no excuses, no BS!

The Rep. is hiding his/her name to prevent a backlash.

If any DC employee does not know not to being a toy handgun into a US government building thru X-Ray screening, they do not deserve to work in DC and neither does the Congresswhatever they work for!

CLICK GRATUITIOUS CHUCKIE GAME:



6:05pm ET UPDATE:

The Congressman's name was just released on WABC 770am NYC but I did not catch it to relay it on to you.

No mention of his political party.

Either one is no excuse!

[Bella]

ABC news said it was an Illinois congressman girlfriend...does anywho know which one it was?

[Labyrinthos]

Would you care to retract your alarmist speculation?

Nope. If you read the article to which I was responding, as opposed the the article from which you are quoting, my question/comment was reasonable.