A man was chased and shot dead by police after a car chase near U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C., Wednesday evening, police said.
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US Capitol police attend to the scene of a shooting where Capitol police officers shot a man involved in a car chase one block from the US Capitol in Washington, July 15, 2009. [Chinadaily.com.cn via agencies] |
Capitol Police spokesman Kimberly Schneider told reporters that police officers shot and killed the 35-year-old man who began firing at them after trying to evade police.
A police officer also suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The incident happened at about 5 p.m. eastern time (2100 GMT) near New Jersey and C streets NW on the Senate side of the Capitol.
Police said the man, driving a white Mercedes sedan, was stopped in front of the Union Station for a traffic violation and fled and drove at a high rate of speed around the Capitol Hill complex.
One police officer who was on foot was struck by the man's car, but his injuries were not life-threatening.
Witnesses told reporters on the scene that they saw a white Mercedes sedan speeding in the direction toward the Capitol Building with police cars in pursuit.
The Mercedes then crashed near Louisiana and D Streets, and a dark-skin man got out and started firing.
Police shot back, and the man was gunned down.
Witness said multiple shots were heard.
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US Capitol police officers and investigators work at the scene of a shooting where Capitol police officers shot a man involved in a car chase one block from the US Capitol in Washington July 15, 2009.[Chinadaily.com.cn via agencies] |
Tourists Kevin Pierotti, 48, of Valparaiso, Indiana, and his daughter Sabrina, 15, told reporters that before the incident, they saw officers talked to the man.
But the man sped off, prompting police to chase him.
TV footages show police sealed off some entrances to the U.S. Capitol Building and locked down the Senate side. Numerous emergency vehicles and police cars swarmed the area.
Senate staff privately expressed outrage and dismay at not having received an alert from the Capitol Police about the incident.
Further details of the incident are unknown, and police said it is not related to the Capitol Hill.
(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2009)
