On the eve of the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, people in Washington had a security scare after the sound of gunshots rang through Washington DC’s Union Station. According to ABC News , the gunshots were fired by an armed guard who was near the train station after he witnessed a man stabbing a woman. Initial reports say that the guard fired shots at the man to save the woman from getting badly injured.
The security officer was associated with the Securities and Exchange Commission and was across the street from Union station when the stabbing incident happened. He rushed to help the woman and chased the man. According to police spokesperson Gwendolyn Crump, the security guard fired the shots after the knife-wielding man turned towards the guard, pointed the knife, and attempted to lunge at him.
Jeff Brown, D.C. police Commander later told reporters, “Obviously, with this being 9/11, fears were heightened and escalated. Several individuals fled from the scene. We secured the facility without any incidents.”
Ursula Lauriston, a 28-year-old magazine editor was at the Union Station when the incident unfolded, Yahoo News reports.
“I saw people running, and I just started running. It sounded like it was right next to me. People were completely confused as to what was going on, and no one knew whether to run or hide.”
The train station was briefly shut down and evacuated. After the area was deemed safe, it was reopened and trains are running normally, confirms Polly Hanson, an Amtrak spokesperson. Meanwhile, both the individuals injured in the stabbing incident were taken to hospitals. Their injuries are not of life-threatening nature, a police official confirmed.
The actual cause of the incident is still under investigation. However, it is believed that the stabbing was the culmination of a domestic dispute between the accused and the victim. The names of the individuals involved in the Union Station stabbing incident have not been revealed.
Home to Amtrak’s headquarters, the Union Station at Washington DC is a large transit hub and is located near the U.S. Capitol. An estimated 90,000 people pass through the station every day. The station is home to several retails shops and restaurants and is a favorite haunt for diners who are out on the lookout for a quick lunch.
On the day of the attack, Flags hoisted in two poles outside the main entrance of the Union Station were flying at half-staff in remembrance of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
[Image: Wikimedia Commons]
