US Capitol Police Chief Brief Norton on Capitol Police Shooting (7/17/09)

U.S. Capitol Police Brief Norton on Capitol Police Shooting

July 17, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) met late today with U.S. Capitol Police Assistant Chief Dan Nichols, who supervised the Capitol Police investigation of the shooting of a suspect by Capitol Police at Louisiana and New Jersey Avenues, N.W.. Chief Philip Morse will be out of town until Tuesday. Norton learned that two officers were injured, one by the suspect, who fled during a routine traffic stop that led to a series of collisions. A Capitol Police officer used his training to trap the suspect in his car by ramming the suspect's vehicle and apparently preventing a running gun battle into the Senate area near Union Station or the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The officers shot the suspect after he managed to climb out of the window holding a large semi-automatic weapon and shooting at the officers, who returned fire, according to Nichols. An investigation is being conducted by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, as required in all shootings deaths in the District, and by the Capitol Police and U.S. Attorney. Because a federal official is involved, the final authority will be with the U.S. District Attorney for the District of Columbia. Norton expressed her hope for the recovery of the injured officers and her sympathy for the family of the suspect.