Misunderstanding Madness

When the seat of government of the most powerful nation on Earth comes under fire it is a serious matter. All the security resources available around Capital Hill are mustered in a matter of mere seconds. Armed to the hilt, security agents swarm around the capital and an instant lock-down is instituted; people warned to take shelter to to remain where they are. A buzz of fear takes hold and the courageous first-responders to the emergency, weapons drawn and faces grim, take charge.

People take cover as gun shoot being heard at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on October 3, 2013.(AFP Photo / Jewel Samad)

Lawmakers cringe in uncertainty of what might be unfolding. People who just a few moments before were out and about on the mall around the capital have fled and the expectation of an as-yet-unseen major assault hangs heavy on the atmosphere. As a vehicle driven by a young woman with a child sharing the interior is driven erratically. Ignoring orders to stop, she continues her mad trajectory. Her vehicle hits a police car.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents patrol the area after gunshots were fired outside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, October 3, 2013.(Reuters / Gary Cameron)

"The barrier fell on top of the guard, who fell on the ground. He seemed to be OK because he got up. The car then drove off towards the Capitol and some police went after it."
Jacob Mathews, New Zealander, touring Washington

"Exactly at 2:19 I was standing in the front of the Capitol building and I heard gun shots. I looked back and I saw a small sedan car driving fast and that car was chased by police, like five police. I heard from seven to eight shots. Pop, pop, pop. And then I heard a boom and that was an accident on Constitution Avenue (where a police car was struck), and after that there was two police who told us to leave. People were running away from the gunshot area. I was very scared. I thought somebody was attacking the Capitol."
Ibrahima Bangoura,  eyewitness

Police react on Capitol Hill October 3, 2013 in Washington, DC, after shots fired were reported near 2nd Street NW and Constitution Avenue on Capitol Hill. (AFP Photo / Brendan Smialowski)

The woman driving the car attempted to park it before the Capitol building. With police surrounding her, guns drawn, barking orders, she backed out, struck a police car and drove at high speed rounding a traffic circle then down Maryland Avenue, police opening fire all the way. She was stopped at a police barricade, where she was shot and killed, about 2:30.p.m.

The child was removed unhurt from the vehicle. The woman, presumably its mother, dead. Later, her own mother was to explain that her daughter was suffering from post-partum depression. Her daughter evidently believed that her president, Barack Obama, had informed her that he wished to speak with her. She had responded. And so did the Capitol police.

Police react on Capitol Hill October 3, 2013 in Washington, DC, after shots fired were reported near 2nd Street NW and Constitution Avenue on Capitol Hill. (AFP Photo / Brendan Smialowski)

No training in dealing empathetically with mentally-disturbed individuals? No training in the use of firearms, to enable any one of them to shoot out the tires and thus disable the vehicle and bring it to an abrupt stop? No realization that there was never any return fire from the vehicle? No sense of proportion to assess the overwhelming apprehension that must have assailed a disturbed woman seeing a veritable platoon of armed men attacking her and her child?

Most impressive. Capitol Hill was secured. The president is safe.