U.S. Capitol officer fires gun in break room, gets suspended

Capitol Police Officer Suspended
FILE – A large group of police arrive at the Capitol, Jan. 6, 2022, in Washington. A U.S. Capitol Police officer fired a gun inside a break room in a House office building on Tuesday and was promptly suspended — the latest stain for a police department struggling to regain the public’s trust following the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection and a recent communications failure that triggered an evacuation. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

By MICHAEL BALSAMO Associated Press

A U.S. Capitol Police officer fired a gun inside a break room in a House office building on Tuesday and was promptly suspended — the latest stain for a police department struggling to regain the public’s trust following the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection and a recent communications failure that triggered an evacuation.

The agency said the officer discharged the firearm at around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Cannon House Office Building and its Office of Professional Responsibility launched an investigation. The officer was suspended as the investigation continues, police said.