U.S. Capitol evacuated after parachute team for Washington Nationals game triggers false alarm

Home runs weren’t the only thing flying at this Washington Nationals game.

A plane carrying parachuters who dropped into Nationals Park on Wednesday night triggered a brief evacuation of the U.S. Capitol and surrounding buildings.

Capitol Police sent out an evacuation alert to people on Capitol grounds shortly after 6:30 p.m. before quickly retracting the panic-inducing notice.

“The Capitol was evacuated out of an abundance of caution this evening,” the department tweeted. “There is no threat at the Capitol.”

Instead, the plane that scared Capitol Police dropped parachuters over the Nationals game against the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of a pregame stunt. The plane had been circling the area but avoiding the prohibited airspace above the Capitol.

Two sources told the Associated Press that the parachute plane, carrying members of the U.S. Army Golden Knights, didn’t get proper clearance before taking off from Joint Base Andrews.

The pregame parachute drop went according to plan, and the game began as scheduled.

With News Wire Services