Photo by mosley.brian

Good morning, Washington. More is known today about yesterday’s Capitol Police-involved shooting near the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol. Details from the Post: the man who was shot and killed by police had been pulled over for a routine traffic stop, according to Capitol Police, when he fled the scene at a high speed in his white Mercedes, eventually striking a parked car and then crashing into a police cruiser. Two police officers were injured during the chase. Police say the man then produced a weapon, ignored commands to drop it and began firing, at which point officers returned fire, shooting and killing the man.

House Adds Rider that Threatens Needle Exchange in D.C.: Considering the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the District of Columbia, we think it’s fair to label this latest maneuver in the House as absolutely despicable. Despite a lot of talk about lifting all the socially conservative restrictions that have been placed on the District through the mechanism of appropriations, the Examiner reports that the Democrat-led House Appropriations Committee appears to be sitting on its hands and just accepting an amendment, offered by Rep. Jack Kingston of Georgia (R), that bars the District from distributing clean needles or syringes to drug addicts within 1,000 feet “of a public or private day care center, elementary school, vocational school, secondary school, college, junior college, or university, or any public swimming pool, park, playground, video arcade, or youth center, or an event sponsored by any such entity,” – which, we might add, basically means the entire city. Home rule and public health advocates can still hope to remove the language through the Senate or in conference.

Metro Operators Feeling Persecuted: With all the attention being paid to video images captured by riders of inattentive Metrorail and bus operators, WTOP reports the union that represents them is asking people to show a little more respect to the drivers, the majority of whom are following all the rules. What do you think – is the constant surveillance too much for anyone to take?

Briefly Noted: Kaine, Howell oppose Wal-Mart close to Wilderness battlefield … Puppy rescued after ordeal stuck in pipe … Space shuttle finally launches after a month-long delay … National memorial for psychiatric patients at St. Elizabeths … Prosecutors: Jacks abused daughters.

This Day in DCist: In 2008, memorabilia from The X-Files found its way into the Smithsonian, and in 2007, Mike DeBonis took over the Loose Lips column for the City Paper.