The US Capitol was evacuated for a short time after police said an unidentified aircraft could pose a threat. A top lawmaker later clarified that the incident was the result of a lapse in communication between federal agencies.
The US Capitol Police issued an alert to lawmakers and congressional staffers around 6:30pm local time on Wednesday evening, saying a plane was spotted over the area which posed a “probable threat” and ordering a full evacuation of all buildings at the complex.
Just 20 minutes later, however, police declared there was “no threat at the Capitol” and said the alert came “out of an abundance of caution.” The department later announced that the building was cleared to reopen, but offered no further details about the incident.
The plane in question was actually carrying members of the US Army Golden Knights, who were set for a parachute demonstration over Nationals Park ahead of a baseball game. It is unclear why police were not informed about the plan, which was arranged ahead of time.