US Pentagon Temporarily Locked Down over Fired Shots

The massive US Defense Department headquarters known as the Pentagon were temporarily locked down early Tuesday over civilian reports of fired shots. File photo

An unidentified individual or individuals fired shots at the Pentagon early Tuesday, hitting the building and causing minor damage, US defense officials inform.

Civilians alarmed the police about hearing shots around 5 am prompting a temporary lockdown of some road and pedestrian entrances to the building.

The following probe confirmed the building has been indeed hit by shots, but is remains unclear how many or from what kind of weapon, Marine Col. Dave Lapan, a Pentagon spokesman said.

Roads and pedestrian entrances leading to the Pentagon were reopened a little after 5:30 am but part of nearby highway was later temporarily closed over the ongoing investigation.

There are no reports of injuries.

Lapan also explained he did not know whether there was any connection between Tuesday's incident and Monday's discovery of bullet holes in windows at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, some 30 miles south of the Pentagon.

A cleaning crew at the museum called police when they noticed the bullet holes in windows in a part of the building that faces the nearby interstate.

Police believe the shots were fired at the museum late Saturday or early Sunday, when no one was inside. Because of the height of the holes, it is suspected the bullets were likely fired from a rifle.

None of the museum's artifacts were damaged.

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