U.S. Capitol locked down following apparent suicide

U.S. Capitol
(Image credit: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images)

A spokesman for the Capitol Police said the U.S. Capitol had been locked down "as a precautionary measure," following an apparent attempted suicide near the West Front of the complex, Politico reports.

NBC4 Washington reports that a man shot himself in the vicinity of the Capitol, and that police are currently investigating a "suspicious package" found nearby that appears to be a suitcase. Authorities are reportedly also searching for the man's car.

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Update: USA Today reports that the lockdown was lifted shortly before 4 p.m.

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Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.