UPDATE: Union Station officially re-opened.

Our own Dave Stroup is over at Union Station and is passing on reports that there’s been a shooting on a red line train, resulting in the closing of the Union Station metro. He’s been told it’s two gangs fighting on the train and at the moment the outside escalator entrance is being cordoned off.

Dave sees transit police, capitol police and DCFD conferring inside the mezzanine. He’s not seeing any EMS response. A bystander claims there’s at least one wounded individual.

1:43p: The DCFireEMS twitter account confirms the injured person, singular. WMATA’s release indicates that the shooting was in the station itself, says trains are continuing to pass through – single tracking – but not stopping.

1:45p: Dave says the station has re-opened. DCFireEMS twitter says they are transporting a single teenage male, aprox 16-17, in serious condition to the nearest trauma center.

1:49p: Dave repeats that the station has been re-opened. Reports have shifted to a large group of people fighting, not a shooting. The fight originated on the train, transit police contacted capitol police for backup.

1:52p: Witness report guns were visible but transit police say that no shots were fired. Dr. Gridlock’s update still repeats an MPD claim that shots were fired.  It’s unclear where this reporting disconnect is coming from or which side is accurate. No weapon has been recovered in a station search.

1:55p: The group was reportedly teenagers, over 30 who borded at Ft Totten and began fighting shortly thereafter. A passenger says it was difficult to get out of the way. At least one witness has stated a fear of going on camera.

1:58p: The fighting continued on the train as it progressed from Ft Totten to Union Station, happening right over seated passengers. One witness says she didn’t see a weapon but heard claims (boasts? threats?) of one, states her co-worker did see a handgun.

1:59p: Dave says Union Station officials are telling NBC4 they can’t film at Metro. They’re asking security to remove NBC4 from outside the station.

2:06p: Security apparently knows the law/rules better than the Union Station person demanding NBC4 be removed; an angry facilities person employed by Union Station is complaining about their refusal to remove them. NBC4 and ABC7 continued filming.

Don Whiteside

Well I used to say something in my profile about not quite being a “tinker, tailor, soldier, or spy” but Tom stole that for our about us page, so I guess I’ll have to find another way to express that I am a man of many interests.

Hmm, guess I just did.

My tastes run the gamut from sophomoric to Shakespeare and in my “professional” life I’ve sold things, served beer, written software, and carried heavy objects… sometimes at the same place. It’s that range of loves and activities that makes it so easy for me to love DC – we’ve got it all.