Security breach on Capitol Hill included missteps, such as giving officers wrong description for the suspect
By Whitney Wild, CNN
A security breach at an office building on the US Capitol complex on Thursday included a number of missteps, such as Capitol Police failing to notice a handgun on the X-ray security screen and erroneously telling officers to look for a White woman instead of a Black man, sources familiar with the situation told CNN.
Court records allege Jeffrey Allsbrooks walked through security into the Longworth House Office Building with a firearm and ammunition, prompting a lockdown before President Joe Biden was set to arrive at another part of the Capitol later Thursday morning.
A criminal complaint says around 7:43 a.m. ET, Allsbrooks entered the Longworth building. Allsbrooks “put his backpack and other items through the X-Ray machine for security screening,” and continued through the metal detector. The court records say Allsbrooks then picked up his belongings and walked into the building.
After Allsbrooks had already left, police noticed an image on the X-Ray screen of what appeared to be a handgun. A shelter-in-place lockdown order was then issued for the building.
Sources told CNN that at first, police put out lookout alert for a White woman, but quickly changed the description to a Black man.
The court records state: “Officers began to canvas the immediate area looking for (Allsbrooks)” and that he “began to walk back toward the screening area and the bag in their possession was taken and put onto the X-Ray belt for screening.”
Capitol Police said they had the situation under control in 12 minutes. The department declined to comment on the mistaken suspect description and X-ray screening process.
Allsbrooks was taken into custody at 8:27 a.m. ET, according to the records.
According to the complaint, crime scene technicians found a black Glock 19 9mm handgun loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition in a 15-round magazine. The firearm is not registered in the District of Columbia, and Allsbrooks does not have a license to carry a firearm in DC, the complaint states. Allsbrooks told investigators he is licensed to carry a concealed firearm in Virginia.
Capitol Police declined to comment on possible disciplinary action for the officers involved, citing an ongoing investigation.
Allsbrooks has pleaded not guilty. Attempts by CNN to contact him were not successful.
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