Capitol Hill in chaos over toy pistol

A Halloween costume became a little scarier than was intended yesterday when a suspected security breach on Capitol Hill in Washington DC led to the lockdown and partial evacuation of an office building in the legislative complex as well a suspension of debate in the House of Representatives.

At lunchtime, security officials reported that a man carrying what appeared to be a gun, accompanied by a woman, had raced through a security checkpoint in the Cannon Building, which houses many of the offices of members of the House of Representatives.

It took nearly two hours for police to locate the man and come to the conclusion the weapon was made of plastic.

The man and his friend were identified as congressional aides who were returning to their offices with a Halloween costume, one of which incorporated a small toy pistol.