ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- As a gunman exchanged fire with Capitol Police officers defending a congressman and others at a Virginia baseball field Wednesday morning, local police swiftly set up a perimeter and called for more units.
Through dispatch audio posted to the archive section of the Broadcastify website, the timeline of the police and ambulance response unfolds.
The first dispatcher heard is sending units to a weapons violation call, someone with a gun. The man then calls fire units, saying, "Fire response is authorized. Multiple calls."
Just a minute later, the dispatcher describes the scene to officers: "Shots being fired and there are people running, possibly victims involved."
"It's coming from the baseball field," an officer says.
Another officer calls in to say he's getting out of his car and will be on foot.
"Set up a perimeter," someone shouts.
According to a statement from the FBI, Alexandria police received the first 911 call from the shooting, in which five people were wounded and the gunman was killed, at 7:09 a.m. ET. Police were on the scene three minutes later.
An officer tells dispatch, "I still have shots being fired."
The dispatcher asks for available units to respond to the 400 block of East Monroe Avenue, where the gunfire continues.
Suddenly there is someone shouting what sounds like the words, "Keep down."
It is unclear whether the person is at the baseball field.
About four minutes into the response, an officer who sounds out of breath says, "225. We've got one in custody."
Then another voice adds, "One shooter."
The first officer says, "We need medics," and indicates the shooter is down.
A dispatcher tries to pinpoint 225's location and he tells them he is at the baseball field by the YMCA.
"There's also victim down in the baseball field," he says.
But the fire department official is hesitant to respond until he knows the shooting is over. The man tells the dispatcher to have units stage at a nearby fire station.
Reports come in about the wounded.
"We have a total of five down," someone says.
A minute later, a person gives the OK for medics to come to the field.
One officer says there is someone with a gunshot wound to the leg.
"I need medics in the dugout, I've got one injured," another says.
An officer describes the injuries as two reds (serious, life-threatening injuries) and three yellows (not immediately life-threatening). In addition to the five people who were shot, two others sustained secondary injuries.
At the same time, fire officials are trying to figure out where a helicopter ambulance can land. There is a CVS/Aldi parking lot across the street. They'll see whether that can work.
Emergency responders change their minds and ask the dispatcher to tell the medevac to land on the baseball field.
