The exhibition appears to have been part of of a military appreciation night event hosted from the Washington Nationals of MLB. Shortly after 6:25 pm EDT, dropping his wind tapes, the pilot of the Golden Knights air control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, their plan drop paratroopers, including special direction they were going to fly.
The US Capitol Police did not appear to have been notified.
“Evacuation Now: Aircraft Invasion,” read the subject line. of a Capitol police warning issued shortly after 6:30 p.m.
“USCP tracks aircraft that creates probable threat to the Capitol complex,” the email began with a list of instructions. for people in various locations in complex.
The Capitol Police quickly moved to evacuate the campus, raising a high-pitched alert throughout the Capitol and its surroundings. office building. Officers went from door to door in in building make sure those who were inside were leaving as quickly as possible.
outside sounds of sirens rang in in air when the Capitol police chased away evacuating employees and curious tourists out of in area. Everyone was forced out past in office building on both sides of Capitol Square.
Airplane in the sky above in the question circled Washington slowly, while those anxiously waiting for the responses indicated that the paratroopers were dropping into the National Park a few blocks away. down South Capitol Street.
About 20 minutes later, Capitol police said there was no threat.
In a statement late Wednesday night, the Federal Aviation Administration promised “thorough and prompt review” of Incident.
“FAA takes its toll role in protection national airspace seriously and will conduct a thorough and prompt review of in events this evening and share updates,” the FAA said. “We know our actions affect others, especially in the capital of our country is the region and we need to communicate early and often with our law enforcement partners.”
Kelly LeGaspi, Press Secretary for The US Army Recruitment Command said the army also investigation.
CNN reached out Capitol police and citizens for comment.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has criticized the FAA.
“Obvious statement from the Federal Aviation Administration failure notify the Capitol Police of Nationals Stadium’s pre-planned overpass is outrageous and inexcusable,” said a California Democrat. in statement. “Unnecessary panic caused this obvious negligence was especially harmful for Members, Staff and Institutional Workers Still Struggling with injury of in attack on their workplace on January 6”.
However, Reagan air traffic controllers knew of Flight of the Golden Knights, according to the liveatc entry.net.
At 6:21 p.m., the airport tower controller told a Southwest Airlines flight that “two miles northeast of of National Tower, here’s the Golden Knights plane, and said they in neighborhood of stadium.
The Southwest pilot replied that they had a plane. in Sight.
Security warnings like this in the Capitol happen from time to time. The Capitol was briefly cleared and the White House temporarily locked down. down when a single-engine aircraft wandered into restricted airspace in April 2009
It was also evacuated in January 2011 when a commercial airliner accidentally entered restricted airspace.
This story was updated with additional reaction.
Brian Rokus of CNN and Oren Liebermann contributed to this report.
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