TOY GUN TRIGGERS HALLOWEEN FRIGHT
Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2003 8:35 am
Toy gun triggers Halloween fright
WASHINGTON: Two women carrying Halloween costumes and a toy gun inadvertently gave police a big scare yesterday and stirred up criticism of post-September 11 security measures.
A US Congress office building was closed for more than an hour before the women, both on staff, realised they were the target of a huge search and convinced police it was a false alarm.
"It was just an unusual set of Halloween circumstances," Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer said as heavily armed SWAT teams left the building.
Police were alerted when an X-ray screen machine showed an image of what looked like a gun in a backpack.
As police scoured the building, angry politicians said the incident showed bolstered security after the September 11 attacks had lapsed badly.
WASHINGTON: Two women carrying Halloween costumes and a toy gun inadvertently gave police a big scare yesterday and stirred up criticism of post-September 11 security measures.
A US Congress office building was closed for more than an hour before the women, both on staff, realised they were the target of a huge search and convinced police it was a false alarm.
"It was just an unusual set of Halloween circumstances," Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer said as heavily armed SWAT teams left the building.
Police were alerted when an X-ray screen machine showed an image of what looked like a gun in a backpack.
As police scoured the building, angry politicians said the incident showed bolstered security after the September 11 attacks had lapsed badly.