A security guard was critically injured in a shooting at the U.S. Census Bureau headquarters in Suitland on Thursday evening.
Prince George’s County fire department spokesman Mark Brady said that an adult male who was standing guard at a gate to the facility had suffered at least one gunshot wound to his upper body. Brady said the victim’s condition was “extremely critical.”
At about 7:45 p.m., roughly two dozen military-clad officers with rifles entered the Census campus and began sweeping through parking garages and lots. It was unclear which police agency the officers represented.
Around the same time, an announcement could be heard on the campus loudspeaker alerting people to a “security-related incident.” The announcement said that law enforcement officers would be conducting a car-by-car search of vehicles on the property.
Shortly before 8 p.m., the sounds of three small explosions could be heard.
Reports of the incident started coming in before 6 p.m., at the close of the business day, leaving it unclear how many workers were still at the Census Bureau, on Silver Hill Road.
Print shop owner Mario Exum can see directly into the complex from his store across the street on Suitland Road. A former military and law enforcement officer, he was loading up a car about 10 minutes before 6 p.m., he said, when he remarked to employees that he smelled “gunfire.”
He said when he looked after detecting the odor, Exum saw a black vehicle streaking down a service road. He couldn’t tell if it was a security vehicle or a suspect’s vehicle.
He went back into his shop, and when he returned outside, the campus was swarming with police vehicles.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms confirmed that agents were on the scene but declined to elaborate. Prince George’s County police spokesman Jarriel Jordan did not provide details, except that a guard was shot. He said the FBI was assisting with the investigation.
Brady did not provide information about any suspect, and an FBI spokeswoman refused to comment.
Census Bureau spokesman Michael Cook said that employees inside the complex, which houses the Census Bureau’s headquarters along with other federal agencies, could not leave the campus, because all entrances had been shut down by law enforcement officers.
He said he did not know what information had been communicated to employees inside the complex.
Lynh Bui, Arelis Hernandez and Clarence Williams contributed to this report.
Julie Zauzmer is a local news reporter.
Clarence Williams is the night police reporter for The Washington Post and has spent the better part of 13 years standing next to crime scene tape, riding in police cars or waking officials in the middle of night to gather information about breaking news in and around Washington.
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