Good question
Search For Gunman In Capitol Over
Police: Staffer Carried Toy Gun As Part Of CostumeWASHINGTON -- Police are reopening the Cannon Office Building after putting it on lockdown for 90 minutes as they searched for a gunman.
U.S. Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer says the gun spotted by security screeners was a toy gun, part of a Halloween costume.
The building was put on lockdown after a security guard saw a gun in a backpack as it passed through metal detectors. Before the guard could get to the backpack, someone picked it up and entered the U.S. Capitol.
After reviewing video tape from that security station, police started looking for a woman along with the man believed to have picked up the backpack. They say she entered the building at about the same time. That woman came forward, and told police the gun was hers and was part of a Halloween costume.
Before the woman came forwrad, police conducted a systematic search of the Cannon Office Building, floor by floor. Capitol staffers were told to lock their offices, and the entire building was under a lockdown. People were allowed to leave the building, but they were searched as they left. No one was allowed to enter the building.
The Cannon Office Building is linked to two other office buildings through underground tunnels. Those tunnels were sealed and security was increased at the other buildings as well.
It would be interesting to see if these two get a promotion in the near future.