MSNBC reports that the White House and Capitol evacuated due to plane entering air space. More to come:
The White House and the Capitol building were evacuated Wednesday as police told people to leave quickly.
"You've got one minute," one officer yelled to a group including NBC correspondent Chip Reid.
FoxNews reports a Plane Violated No-Fly Zone and people being allowed back into White House after evacuation.
Several other government buildings, including the Treasury Department and the U.S. Supreme Court order people to safer locations.
A small plane breached the security zone over Washington, several law enforcement officials said, prompting alerts across the city.
The plane was approached by a fighter aircraft and veered away.
I don't understand why when there is a report of a small plane violating restricted airspace I read that the pilot is questioned, but I never hear of any pilot being punished.
UPDATE: USA Today has this wrap-up of today's evacuation incident:
The White House and the Capitol Building were evacuated about noon Wednesday after a small plane entered restricted airspace, but the evacuation was lifted about 20 minutes later.
A senior law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press the alarm was caused by an aircraft incursion over the protected airspace over Washington but there was no indication a terrorist attack was under way. The plane — a Cessna — was approached by a fighter aircraft and veered away, the official said.Employees of several other government buildings, including the Treasury Department and the U.S. Supreme Court, also were evacuated.
[. . .]
House Speaker Dennis Hastert was on the House floor talking to members when the evacuation siren went off. He left quickly with his security detail.Two large black armored SUVs often used by House and Senate leaders sped away from the Capitol as a military jet flow overhead.
"People were surprised. I was surprised," said Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, who was on the House floor when the evacuation began. "There was so much commotion in the gallery. People were yelling in the gallery. We thought something had happened in the gallery, and then the alarm came to evacuate."
Reporters in the White House were told to move to a more secure location. A guard in the West Wing of the White House shouted at reporters, "Go down into the basement."
"Leave, run," security officers shouted to staff and reporters at the Capitol.
"This is not a drill," guards shouted as they moved people away from the building.
President Bush was exercising on his bicycle at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Beltsville, Md. when the evacuation order was issued. CNN reported Vice President Cheney was at the White House and was evacuated; a motorcade was seen speeding away from the White House shortly after the evacuation notice was given.
Shortly after noon, officers rushed through the Supreme Court building and told staff to get into the basement. At the Treasury Department, people were moved across the street.
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