Capitol Police are investigating a bomb threat at the US Department of Health and Human Services building.
Due to the potential threat, the police have closed off roads around the Capitol complex.
Sarah Lovenheim, HHS assistant secretary of public affairs, has confirmed to Sputnik that the building was evacuated earlier in the day due to the reported bomb threat.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we evacuated the building and there is no reported incident. We are monitoring the situation closely with the Federal Protective Service", Lovenheim said.
A police officer in the vicinity of the HHS building told a Sputnik correspondent that a police emergency operation was underway in the building.
Axios reporter Andrew Solender has shared several photos and a video on Twitter, showing a heavy police presence at the Capitol complex:
Meanwhile, a number of demonstrations are taking place just outside the Capitol and the Supreme Court buildings in spite of the emergency situation nearby. A group of US congressmen have been spotted outside the Capitol building surrounded by a crowd on the stairs leading to the House chamber.
Just three days ago, US Capitol Police kicked off a search around the Hill after a young man called in a "specific threat" against uniformed officers. The caller claimed to have various weapons. The USCP were later joined by DC Police in the search, however, no suspect was found.
Back in August, a North Carolina man was arrested for threatening to blow up his truck on Capitol Hill. The man, identified as Floyd Ray Roseberry, was charged with threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempted use of an explosive device. He had broadcast his threats live on social media, triggering an evacuation of a number of offices in the area, including the Supreme Court.
The FBI and Capitol Police swiftly responded to the call of a bomb threat. The 45-year-old man claimed he had a bomb he wanted to detonate inside his truck, which he had parked on the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress. The device, which was later seized by law enforcement, contained an unknown powder in the bottom and a “fabricated” trigger attached to the top.