The Capitol Police, Park Police and Secret Service were not given advance notice of a Nationals Park military flyover Wednesday that led to an emergency evacuation of the Capitol complex, congressional stakeholders were told.
The incident, in which employees were told to evacuate buildings quickly and get blocks away for their safety, raises questions about communication shortfalls among partner agencies in the region as the issue of Capitol security is still being analyzed following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.
A Capitol Police official told congressional officials in a statement obtained by CQ Roll Call that approved military flights — such as the single engine flyover by the Golden Knights parachute team for military appreciation night at the baseball game — are “always coordinated” and that notifications are made by the Federal Aviation Administration to “partnering agencies” and “placed on the active waiver board.”
