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Armed Gunman Alert Sparks Scare at Georgetown Law

Georgetown University Law School had a scare this afternoon when an alert warned that an armed gunman was possibly on or near the campus.

The campus is located at 600 New Jersey Ave. NW, about a half-mile north of the Capitol. Capitol Police received a call reporting the possible gunman and reported to the scene, as did the Metropolitan Police Department, which has jurisdiction over the area.

“We are hearing reports from U.S. Capitol Police of a possible armed gunman on or near the Georgetown Law Center campus,” read an announcement posted on the main page of the Georgetown University website at 1:30 p.m. “All members of the Law Center community have been advised to shelter in place.”

But shortly after 2 p.m., the university announced an “all clear.”

At the same time, Capitol Police reported a possible gunman making threats outside the Rayburn House Office Building. Officers arrested an unarmed individual, according to Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, a Capitol Police spokeswoman.

In a third incident, Capitol Police recovered a handgun on Southwest Drive. Schneider said the three incidents were unrelated.

Correction: Sept. 30, 2011

Am earlier version of this article contained incorrect information provided by the Capitol Police Public Information Office. This version has been updated to clarify police jurisdiction at Georgetown University Law School and the police response to the scene. It also clarifies the location of a second suspected gunman southwest of the Capitol and that a weapon recovered by Capitol Police was unrelated to either incident.

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