Parachute Demo at National Park Causes Brief Capitol Evacuation

The U.S. Army Parachute Team the Golden Knights jump out of their aircraft before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park in Washington, on April 20, 2022. Alex Brandon/AP Photo

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Capitol was briefly evacuated Wednesday evening after police identified an aircraft that they said posed “a probable threat”—but the plane was actually carrying members of the U.S. Army Golden Knights, who then parachuted into Nationals Park for a pregame demonstration.

The alert from the U.S. Capitol Police sent congressional staffers fleeing from the Capitol and legislative building around 6:30 p.m.