Rayburn Reopens After Gunfire Report

About 60 people, including Capitol Hill staffers, media representatives and about 10 members of Congress, were confined to the hearing room, where they passed time chatting on cell phones, checking their Blackberries, perusing newspapers and sharing a single bathroom.

Some members of Congress were escorted out of the room after an hour. But Hoekstra stayed.

"I have no confirmation of gunfire. We have confirmation of a loud noise," he said at one point, as people inside the building began questioning whether gunshots were ever really fired.

Finally, at about 2:45 p.m., SWAT officers entered the hearing room.

"Hands on your head," they said, and everyone did just that.

Then, one officer asked: "Is there anybody in this room that doesn't belong here?"

No identification cards were checked. But within minutes the people in the room were escorted into the hallway, then -- after passing through a metal detector -- out onto the street.

For people outside the building, congressman Kingston's office provided Internet updates on the situation though "Jack's Blog."

Sample entries:

12:19 p.m.: "The SWAT team just moved in on the House gym which is about four five floors below our office."

1:39 p.m.: "The Capitol Police just checked out our office. The officers were very courteous and respectful. We're glad they're doing such a thorough job. All is quiet."

2:59 p.m.: (in response to a question from a reader of the blog): "Yes, all Member offices have a restroom. And we also have Georgia Peanuts, Vidalia Onions, and Coca-Cola's in case we're here all night."

Capitol Police spokeswoman Schneider said law enforcement officials did the right thing, shutting down the building.

The investigation, she said, was prompted by a "valid call" to police.

Staff writers Fred Barbash, Stephen Barr, D'Vera Cohn, Karen DeYoung, Bill Miller, Theola S. Labbe, Carol A. Morello and Dana Priest contributed to this report.