White House put on lockdown and Capitol Hill evacuated as plane violates no-fly zone

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. An airplane violated restricted airspace over Washington D.C. Tuesday morning, prompting a brief lockdown on the White House, the Capitol and congressional office buildings, local news media reported.

Military aircraft were scrambled.

Authorities gave the all-clear after around 20 minutes.

A senior congressional official told the New York Times that an unidentified plane had violated the no-fly zone over the District of Columbia for several minutes before 9 a.m.

At the White House, the Secret Service had issued a “shelter in place” order. Military officials later said the aircraft posed no danger and was not hostile.

Capitol buildings resumed operations at 9:12 a.m.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan