Washington is a market of a different kind, and by the standards of the things the city values-connectivity, media currency and perceptions of power-the political capital is heading into a bear market no less than the financial capital.Ĭoronavirus is slamming into D.C.’s political-media complex just as the city’s equivalent of prom season is due to kick off. The National Gallery postponed an invitation-only VIP reception for its new Degas exhibit. Patrick’s Day party for the first time in 20 years. Fred Ryan, the publisher of the Washington Post, called off his annual St. An Episcopalian church in tony Georgetown told its flock to stay home after the pastor fell ill with the disease many prominent D.C. So did a wealthy donor who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference at the end of February, leading several Republican lawmakers who came into contact with the infected attendee to quarantine themselves. Five people who attended the AIPAC conference in early March have now tested positive for the virus. The virus has already hit some key nodes of the power matrix. “I don’t think people want to be around a lot of other people.”

“Everything’s really slowing down,” said Yousef al Otaiba, the ambassador for the United Arab Emirates, an influential player in the city’s diplomatic and social landscape. Henry James famously called Washington the “City of Conversation.” For the moment, it threatens to be the City of Hunkering Down. The mayor declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, and as the local number of confirmed cases has mounted, a wave of cancellations has swept the city’s power events. And, one VIP reception at a time, it‘s even hitting the circles of political and media elites who’ve spent their careers assuming the word “nonessential” doesn’t apply to them. An active shooter drill, as it happens, was practiced several hours before the shooting Monday.But the anxiety gripping the rest of the country is percolating through the city-touching its workers, its children, its parents. The incident took place while Congress was on recess with many representatives back home in their districts. “There is no active threat to the public,” the police department wrote in a tweet. The Metropolitan Police described the case as “an isolated incident.” The shelter-in-place order was lifted by 3:45 p.m. Congress, which is not in session, was placed on lockdown and Secret Service secured the White House.

People ran from the Capitol building Monday while those inside were ordered to shelter in place. A bystander was also injured by debris as people cleared the entrance area following instructions from police to run. However, another officer was injured during the incident, CNN reported. No Capitol police officers were shot, contrary to initial reports. JUST IN: ABC News identifies Capitol shooter as Larry Dawson of Tennessee. Dawson interrupted a House session in October, shouting that he was a 'prophet of God.' Verderosa did not confirm the name of the suspect. 'The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the hospital for treatment.' Capitol Police, during an afternoon press conference. The officer fired and struck the suspect, who was subsequently treated by medical personnel,' said Matthew Verderosa, chief of the U.S. “During routine administrative screening the individual drew what appeared to be a weapon and pointed it at officers. The suspect, who was identified by ABC News as Larry Dawson, of Tennessee, was undergoing surgery and his current condition was unknown. EDT - Capitol police described a shooting incident Monday as a “criminal act” carried out by a suspect who was familiar to local authorities. He was known to police for an October outburst in the House, when he yelled out that he was a 'prophet of God.' USCP investigating shootingnsuspect's vehicle at 200 MD Ave SW on Hse side of Capitol /hTcaxIalwqĭawson was identified as a resident of Antioch, Tennessee, the Tennessean reported.

White house capitol on lockdown