Members are not allowed to go outside but are being told by police that they can take the underground tunnels back to their offices. | Getty Capitol lockdown lifted following nearby incident

A 30-minute lockdown of the U.S. Capitol has been lifted.

Police locked down the Capitol complex for the second time in a week after reports of an incident near the Department of Labor this afternoon.


Members were not allowed to go outside during the half hour period but were told by police that they could use the underground tunnels back to their offices.

The House was in the middle of a long vote series when the lockdown announcement came over the loudspeaker.

Police were heard telling members that the incident happened outside the Capitol complex but in close enough proximity that the lockdown was triggered.

An announcement that was blasted out ordered members and staff to remain inside and stay away from windows and doors.

Last week, the Capitol was temporarily locked down on Friday after police thought a woman might have brought part of a weapon into the complex.

