Police kill armed man near US Congress

[philw]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25790597-401,00.html

A MAN has been killed in a shootout near the Capitol, home of the US Congress in Washington, Capitol Police said.
Two officers were also injured in the incident police said was not related to Capitol security.

Police briefly closed a road adjacent to the Senate side of the complex, home to the US Congress, and entrances to the Capitol building were temporarily locked on its North side.

The shooting occurred after a Capitol police officer tried to make a routine traffic stop near Union Station, a police spokeswoman said.

Sergeant Kimberly Schneider said the driver fled, nearly ran over two officers, struck a parked and then crashed into a police cruiser.

"The subject disregarded repeated demands by police officers to put down the weapon that the suspect had.

"He began shooting a weapon at several US Capitol Police officers. US Capitol Police returned fire, hitting the suspect," Sgt Schneider said.

Sgt Schneider said the suspect, who was not identified, had died.

She said the shooting was an isolated incident and no one else was involved.

Robert Drumm, visiting Washington from Edmond, Oklahoma said he was walking near the Capitol when he saw police cars engaged in a high speech chase with a white Mercedes.

There was a crash and then "boom, boom, boom, boom. A pause and then a bunch more," Mr Drumm added, estimating he heard more than a dozen gunshots.

The incident was the second shooting in just over a month near a popular tourist attraction in Washington.

On June 10, an elderly gunman linked to an anti-Jewish website shot and killed a security guard at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, a short distance from the Capitol.

[Kid Shelleen]

i'll be interested in hearing more details on this one. They left a lot unsaid.

[MikeBjerum]

The incident was the second shooting in just over a month near a popular tourist attraction in Washington.

I believe it is time for the world, and our own citizens for that matter, to understand this is not a "tourist attraction."

Disneyland is a tourist attraction, the Space Needle is a tourist attraction, Branson is a tourist attraction, Las Vegas is a tourist attraction, our Capital building is one of the structures where major events that shape both our country and world politics takes place.  Whether we like what happens there or not, whether we like who is there or not, it is not a "tourist attraction."

Beyond the PMS Rant:

Is there anymore information as to what took place or why?

[Texas_Bryan]

Robbery suspect fleeing police, exited vehicle after a chase of unknown distance, presented weapon to attempt to fight, got shot dead.  Sounds like a typical D.C. day.