Man commits suicide at U.S. Capitol

Erin Kelly | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Chief describes lockdown scene at U.S. Capitol Officials held a press conference on Saturday afternoon to discuss the shooting and subsequent lockdown at the U.S. Capitol. The investigation is ongoing, but the lockdown has been lifted and the building is open to pedestrian traffic.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Capitol was locked down for nearly three hours Saturday after a man shot and killed himself on the west front of the building.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Kim Dine said the shooting does not appear to have had anything to do with terrorism "or anything related to that."

The man, whom police did not identify, was walking in a public area on the west front of the Capitol shortly after 1 p.m. when he produced a gun and shot himself, Dine said. He had been carrying a sign with some type of "social justice" message, the chief said.

Immediately after the shooting, police locked down the U.S. Capitol and Capitol Visitors Center as a precaution. Police bomb technicians came in to investigate the man's backpack and rolling suitcase to make sure they did not contain anything dangerous, Dine said. The buildings were re-opened shortly before 4 p.m.

Raw: US Capitol on lockdown after shots fired Police say the U.S. Capitol is on lockdown after shots were fired and a suspicious package was found in what appears to be an attempted suicide. (April 11)

Dine declined to give any details about the man pending notification of the man's next of kin. He said the Metropolitan Police Department would handle the death investigation.

No one was allowed to enter or exit the Capitol or the Capitol Visitors Center during the investigation that followed the shooting. E-mails sent by police to the Senate offices and Capitol complex advised those inside to shelter in place. Congress has been in recess for the past two weeks. Lawmakers are scheduled to return to work Monday.

Several streets near the Capitol were closed during the investigation. The shooting happened during the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, which draws thousands of visitors to the city.

Contributing: WUSA-TV, Washington; Susan Davis, USA TODAY