Capitol Hill evacuated in an ‘abundance of caution’ after aircraft deemed ‘probable threat’

• The Capitol was evacuated Wednesday evening, citing an aircraft that was deemed “probable threat.”
• USCP later said there is “no threat” and that the evacuation was “out of an abundance of caution.”
• A single-engine aircraft carrying parachutists over Nationals Park prompted the evacuation, per CNN.

The US Capitol police said there is “no threat at the Capitol” after the complex was evacuated Wednesday evening, citing an aircraft that was deemed a “probable threat.”

In an email to press, the USCP initially said they were “tracking an aircraft that poses a probable threat to the Capitol Complex.”

Punchbowl’s Heather Caygle reported the evacuation was prompted after a small plane failed to respond to communication.

“The Capitol was evacuated out of an abundance of caution this evening,” the USCP said in a statement. “There is no threat at the Capitol.”

CNN’s Mike Valerio reported that it was a single-engine aircraft carrying parachutists over Nationals Park, per two people familiar with the matter. The flyover was “not coordinated appropriately,” according to Valerio.

Representatives from the USCP did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for more details on the incident.