Gunfire report triggers alert near US Capitol

Should I be surprised that there is a report of gunfire in Washington DC, our captial of murder?

Police searched a legislative office building near the US Capitol for hours Friday after a caller reported hearing gunfire, triggering a major alert, police said.

Somebody had their TV on too loud didn't they?

Members of the US House of Representatives who work in the Rayburn Office Building were told to stay inside their offices. Police focussed the search on a basement gymnasium, television reports said.

Someone took their excercises too seriously. If there is a shooting in my office building, the last thing I'm doing is running out of the office. Sound strange? In these days of video games, hitting a moving target is just as easy as entering the US illegally. If I stand still I have a chance. Hopefully the shooter's vision is based on movement.

'We're handling this as a very serious matter,' Capitol Police spokeswoman Kimberly Schneider told reporters.

Oh that's good. Not like in the past when reports of gunfire were handled like an episode of Jackass.

Police were investigating whether shots were actually fired, and no injuries or arrests have been reported, she said.

Maybe it was Dick Cheney having a hunting flashback.