When shots were fired, Capitol Police cleared the East Front of the Capitol. | POLITICO | MJ Lee/POLITICO Car chase, gunfire cause chaos

Police shot and killed a woman who led them on a car chase Thursday from the White House to the U.S. Capitol, injuring two officers and forcing a short-lived lockdown of the sprawling complex, law enforcement officials said.

During a news conference Thursday evening, officials also said that a girl, who was approximately 1 year old and was in the Black Infiniti sedan, is in good condition and in protective custody. Police described a fast-moving incident in which the sedan rammed the outer gate at the White House and then sped down Pennsylvania Avenue as shots were fired in at least two locations, including the 100 block of Maryland Avenue NE, where the Infiniti finally stopped.


One Capitol Police officer was injured by hitting a barricade in pursuit of the suspect. Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said a Secret Service officer was also injured when the Infinity struck the officer.

( WATCH: Capitol car chase caught on tape)

Capitol Police Chief Kim Dine said he personally spoke with the Capitol Police officer and “he is doing well.”

“He’s a 23 year veteran of the United States Capitol Police and he’s doing very well, thank you for asking,” Dine said. “He was at the hospital when I spoke to him, but he’s gonna be fine.”

The Washington Post, Hartford Courant and other media outlets have identified the suspect as 34-year-old Miriam Carey, a dental hygienist of Stamford, Conn.

Carey suffered from post-partum depression after the birth of her daughter, her mother told ABC News. Law enforcement sources told NBC News that Carey may have believed President Barack Obama was stalking her, based on what investigators have found. Carey reportedly had a history of mental health issues.

( PHOTOS: Shots fired on Capitol Hill)

Dine told reporters gathered at the press conference that “this appears to be an isolated, singular matter with, at this point, no nexus to terrorism.”

Lanier added that many details were still to be determined.

“Right now, it is all very preliminary. We don’t know which officers fired, how many rounds were fired. I will say, both at the White House and at the Capitol, the security perimeters worked. They did exactly what they were supposed to do and they stopped the suspect from breaching the security perimeters in a vehicle at both locations.”

The lockdown was lifted around 3 p.m. and the House was gavelled back into session at 3:30 p.m. but a heavy police presence still enveloped Capitol Hill. The Capitol Police said a U.S. Park Police helicopter flew over the Capitol at the request of the Metropolitan Police Department.

( WATCH: Hill shooting halts debate on House, Senate floor)

Lanier said Thursday evening that at this point all the information suggests the driver’s actions were intentional.

“This was a lengthy pursuit,” she said. “There were multiple vehicles that were rammed. There were officers that were struck and two security perimeters that were attempted to be breached. So, it does not appear in any way this was an accident.”

Lanier said, as of now, evidence states there were shots fired in at least two locations in the pursuit. Secret Service spokesperson Ed Donovan said no shots were fired at the White House.

Witnesses said they heard multiple gunshots. The vehicle first slammed into a post near the White House at 15th street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. It then fled east to the Capitol.

( WATCH: Shots fired on Capitol Hill: Breaking news reports)

When the car arrived on Capitol Hill, police cars tried to box it in, according to Ryan Christensen of Idaho Falls, Idaho, who witnessed the chase as it reached the area. The car got away from police, and that’s when shots were fired. Christensen told reporters he thought it was a “motorcade” at first.

Two eyewitnesses said Capitol Police fired multiple shots at the black sedan on Constitution Avenue near the Hart Senate Office Building.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called the Capitol Police officer injured in Thursday’s incident and reached him in the hospital, a Reid spokesperson said. The officer, who told the senator he would be fine, said “the only thing I do every day is to make sure you and everyone who works up here is safe.”

( WATCH: U.S. Capitol Police order Capitol Hill lockdown)

President Barack Obama was briefed on the incident. Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who is second in line to the presidency, was in the House Republican cloakroom, just off the House floor.

A slight scene of chaos broke out on Capitol Hill immediately following the incident. Capitol Police immediately cleared the plaza on the East Front of the Capitol and quickly moved dozens of members of Congress, aides, reporters and tourists into rooms in the building.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) was on the balcony off of the speaker’s lobby when he heard what he said sounded like “fireworks,” he told reporters. Guards immediately told members on the balcony to step inside.

Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.), who was also on the balcony, said he heard “five or six” gunshots.

“Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!” Posey told POLITICO. “Then sirens went off, cops started going everywhere yelling ‘get inside, get inside!’”

Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) stayed in the U.S. Senate chamber.

While being interviewed by a reporter, McCaskill was pulled into the chamber by a Capitol Police officer.

“Senator, we’re locking down the Capitol” the officer yelled.

The front plaza outside the White House was closed. Secret Service cars with lights and sirens sped down 17th Street toward the White House, followed by another two with motorcycles.

Capitol Police immediately announced a message on emergency radio to all House and Senate offices, and sent out an e-mail to congressional staff.

“Gunshots have been reported on Capitol Hill requiring all occupants in all House Office Buildings to shelter in place,” Capitol Police wrote in an email to all House staff.

“Close, lock and stay away from external doors and windows. Take annunciators, Go Kits and escape hoods; and move to the innermost part of the office away from external doors or windows. If you are not in your office, take shelter in the nearest office, check in with your OEC and wait for USCP to clear the incident. No one will be permitted to enter or exit the building until directed by USCP. All staff should monitor the situation. Further information will be provided as it becomes available.”

In a sign of the normalcy outside of the Capitol perimeter, diners sat on the patio at Charlie Palmer’s later Thursday evening with beer and wine watching as police just yards away manned red road flares and directed traffic in the 1st & Louisiana intersection area.

Elizabeth Titus, Carrie Budoff Brown, Seung Min Kim, Manu Raju, M.J. Lee, Burgess Everett, Jonathan Allen, Ginger Gibson, Tal Kopan and Jose DelReal contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: The article initially incorrectly stated the order of the presidential succession . As Speaker of the House, John Boehner is second in line, following Vice President Joe Biden.

CORRECTION: Corrected by: Trevor Eischen @ 10/03/2013 05:38 PM CORRECTION: The article initially incorrectly stated the order of the presidential succession. As Speaker of the House, John Boehner is second in line, following Vice President Joe Biden.