By Claudia Garcia | Alice Echo-News
Shots were heard at Capitol Hill in Washington as the Alice City Council was visiting with congressman about grants, water issues and fracing.
Those who attended the Washington trip are City Manager Ray De Los Santos Jr., Mayor Larry Martinez, Mayor Pro Tem Micheal Esparza, council members Yvette Terrell Johnson and Raul Chapa, along with police chief Randy Weems, city staff Jessica Bonilla and Crime Stoppers President Michelle Terrell; councilman Frank Hinojosa was unable to attend the trip.
De Los Santos said the council were just leaving from a meeting with Representative Ruben Hinojosa and on their way to another meeting with Congressman Filemon Vela.
“We heard a lot of radio chatter coming from the U.S Capitol police radio and saw officers moving with urgency,” De Los Santos said.
The council were then told to take shelter in the Cannon House Office Building and escorted to Congressman Vela's office. De Los Santos said Johnson and Terrell were separated from the group and were outside when they heard shots being fired.
Johnson and Terrell were secured by U.S Capitol Police and led in a different direction but eventually met up with the rest of the council in Vela's office. De Los Santos said everyone was safe and secure during the lockdown which was lifted after 20 minutes.
According to the Washington Post, the lockdown was in place due to multiple shots being heard in the area after a female suspect struck a barrier near the White House with her vehicle after leading the police in a car chase. It was undetermined if the female suspect was detained or killed during the situation; one officer was injured in a crash while pursuing the woman.
It was confirmed that a child was inside the suspect's car and was uninjured. One individuals was transported from the scene with life threatening injuries though it was unclear if it was a bystander or a police officer.
