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U.S. NEWS A3
Obamas host final White House Easter Egg Roll
KEVIN FREKING
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Call-
ing the moment bitter-
sweet, President Barack
Obama and first lady Mi-
chelle Obama welcomed
thousands of children to
the South Lawn of the White
House Monday morning for
the final Easter Egg Roll of
his presidency.
The egg rolling began in
1878. Now the event in-
cludes storytelling, musi-
cal performances and tips
from professional athletes
on how to play basketball,
tennis and other sports.
There are even cooking
demonstrations and yoga.
This year,
the first lady added a fun
run to the mix.
“I’m going to be running
around the White House
with a bunch of kids and
any adults who feel like
they can hang,” the first
lady told the crowd as the
president jokingly signaled
in the background that the
run wasn’t for him.
The Obamas spoke from a
balcony that overlooks the
lawn with dogs Bo and Sun-
ny and the Easter Bunny at
their side.
They then went out into
the crowd for some hands-
on play. The president read
the children’s book, “Where
At Press Time:
Man shot by police after drawing weapon at US Capitol
ERICA WERNER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Capi-
tol Police shot a man on
Monday after he pulled a
weapon at a U.S. Capitol
checkpoint. The suspect
was taken to a local hospi-
tal and a female bystander
sustained non-life-threaten-
ing injuries.
The U.S. Capitol was on
lockdown for about an hour
and the White House also
was briefly locked down. As
Washington teemed with
spring tourists in town to
view the cherry blossoms,
staff members and visitors
to the Capitol were rushed
into offices and told to shel- frequented the Capitol
ter in place.
The suspect was known to
Tuesday 29 March 2016

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama act out monsters as they read “Where Lawn of the White House,
the Wild Things Are,” to children at the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South lawn at the White rain or shine. Beyonce, Jay-
House in Washington, Monday, March 28, 2016. Z and daughter Blue Ivy
were among them.
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Fortunately, the sun broke
through mid-morning after
the Wild Things Are,” a ball court, giving out hugs ball back and forth with a night of scattered rain
classic from 1963, and the and handing balls to kids. a young woman. Then showers. In the afternoon,
Obamas acted some of He missed his shot as re- he switched to doubles, the White House was on a
the story out, marching en- tired NBA players Shaquille teaming up with a boy in heightened security alert
thusiastically with the kids O’Neal and Jason Collins a bright green shirt as his after a gunman fired shots
as he read the line “let the looked on. playing partner. in the U.S. Capitol complex.
wild rumpus start!” The president also tried his More than 35,000 people The Secret Service took
Obama couldn’t resist hand at tennis, lobbing a received tickets that allow a routine, precautionary
heading to the basket- bright orange and yellow them to walk on the South measure of closing the
north and south fence lines
of the White House com-
plex, but activities on the
South Lawn continued as
normal.
The theme of this year’s
event is “Let’s celebrate.”
The first lady said she want-
ed to celebrate families
and the nation in what will
be the couple’s last Easter
in office.
“It’s our diversity. It’s
our values,” the first
lady said. “That’s what
makes us strong.”
The fun run is intended to
highlight the first lady’s
“Let’s Move!” initiative,
which focuses on reducing
childhood obesity. She also
promised dancing: “We’ve
got a little “whip” and a
little “nae nae” — or how-
ever you do it,” she said,
providing a brief example
of how the dance is done.

officers, Capitol Chief of this is anything more than with tourists. and her family were tour-
Police Matthew R. Verdero- a criminal act,” Verderosa Cathryn Leff of Temecula, ing the Capitol and were
sa told reporters. However, said. Initial reports said a California, in town to lobby in the Senate visitors’ gal-
he would not confirm re- police officer was injured with the California Associa- lery when she heard police
ports that it was the same but they proved erroneous. tion of Marriage and Family officers’ radios start talking
man who disrupted the Capitol office buildings and Therapists, said she was go- about shots being fired.
House chamber last fall by the Capitol itself were re- ing through security at the “Sure, we were worried,”
shouting. opened for business about main entrance to the Capi- she said. “But there were
That man, Larry Dawson, an hour after the initial re- tol Visitors Center when po- lots of kids around so we
was issued a “stay away or- ports of gunfire. The Visitors lice told people to leave didn’t make too big a deal
der” by D.C. Superior Court Center where the shooting immediately. Outside, on of it.” Smith was visiting with
in October, ordering him to occurred remained closed the plaza just to the east of her husband, William, and
keep away from the Capi- as the incident was being the Capitol, other officers children Ian, 9, and Evan, 4.
tol grounds, court docu- investigated. Visitors were told those there to “get From back home in their
ments show. The event being turned away from down behind this wall,” she districts, many lawmakers
unfolded with Congress the Capitol as emergency said. “I heard what sound- got in touch with staff to
on recess and lawmakers vehicles flooded the street ed like two shots off to my ensure all were safe, and
back in their districts. “We and the plaza on the build- left.” After a while, police posted thanks on Twitter as
do believe this is an act of ing’s eastern side. Police, told her and others to keep it appeared they were.
a single person who has some carrying long guns, running. “I felt like I was in Earlier in the day, officials
cordoned off the streets a movie. It didn’t feel real conducted an unrelated
grounds before and there immediately around the at all.” Amanda Smith of shelter-in-place drill at the
is no reason to believe that building, which were thick Columbus, Ohio, said she Capitol.