Washington: Someone fired shots at the Pentagon early on Tuesday, hitting the building and causing minor damage, defense officials said.
Police who protect the massive Defense Department headquarters temporarily locked down some road and pedestrian entrances to the building after a civilian reported he may have heard shots at about 5 AM on the south side of the facility.
A sweep of the area and facility found that some shots had hit the building, Marine Col. Dave Lapan, a Pentagon spokesman said. He didn't know how many or from what kind of weapon.
Roads and pedestrian entrances leading to the Pentagon were reopened a little after 5:30 AM but part of nearby highway 395 was later temporarily closed for part of the investigation.
A dozen police also were seen at around 9 AM walking side-by-side in a line as they combed through a grassy area on the south side of the building.
Lapan said there were no injuries. In response to a question, he said he did not know whether there was any connection between Tuesday's incident and Monday's discovery of bullet holes in windows at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va., some 30 miles south of the Pentagon.
A cleaning crew at the museum associated with the Quantico Marine Base called police when they noticed the bullet holes in windows high up in a part of the building that faces Interstate 95.
Police believe the shots were fired at the museum late Saturday or early Sunday, when no one was inside. Investigators used a crane to inspect the damage on Monday. Because of the height of the holes, police suspect the bullets were likely fired from a rifle, but they are still working to determine what calibre of bullet was used.
Several glass panels were hit, causing about $20,000 in damage. None of the museum's artifacts -- including a harrier jet hanging near the damaged windows -- were hit.
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