Authorities capture biting fox that terrorized U.S. Capitol
A red fox was captured in Washington on Tuesday afternoon after biting several people who were on the U.S. Capitol grounds, Capitol police said.
According to reporter Chad Pergram, who covers Congress for — you guessed it — Fox News, "USCP [reported] that they received multiple [reports] of people on the Capitol grounds being bitten by a fox."
According to Pergram's twitter thread, U.S. Capitol Police said Tuesday morning that "[o]ne encounter was at the Botanic Garden, and a second was on the House side of the Capitol near the building foundation."
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"This morning, USCP received a call about a fox approaching staff near First and C Street. This fox may have a den in the mulch bed area on First and C near the Dirksen Building, and there is another possible den near the perimeter of the Russell Building," USCP continued, adding that Animal Control was currently investigating and plans to "trap and relocate" any foxes they find.
"Foxes are wild animals that are very protective of their dens and territory. Please do not approach any fox you see," the statement concludes.
Congressional Quarterly reporter Michael Macagnone tweeted a picture of his own run-in with the now-notorious Capitol fox on Monday. "I was sitting at a gazebo outside the Russell Senate Office building when this little one came trotting up. Then galloped after a squirrel," Macagnone wrote. Thankfully, he escaped unscathed.
"Apparently I was lucky not to get bitten. Don't approach," Macagnone tweeted Tuesday.
Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.) told Punchbowl News that he was the victim of an "unprovoked" attack by the fox on Monday night. The fox's teeth did not break Bera's skin, he said, but he received a rabies shot as a precautionary measure.
Update 4:08 ET: The headline and story have been updated to reflect that the fox has been captured and to include the detail about the attack on Rep. Bera.
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