A standoff went on for some nine hours Tuesday evening, after an armed man prompted a lockdown at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse.
The standoff finally ended when the man fell to the ground during some sort of struggle, and agents swarmed around him.
The U.S. Marshals said a man armed with a knife tried to get past security in the building, but was stopped before he could. As a result, the building was placed on lockdown shortly after 11 a.m., the FBI confirmed.
No civilians were in the lobby at the time of the incident. The lobby was cleared and the building was put on lockdown.
“There was no sound, it was just a light, a flashing light, kind of like a fire alarm, but no sounds,” said witness Austin Giesey. “It was a speaker on the intercom saying there was a situation in the lobby; do not leave the room you’re in.”
A standoff with the man ensued, and went on all through the afternoon and well into the evening. CBS News Chicago was able to see the man through the windows of the building pacing and waving his arms, and at times holding the knife off to his neck.
A large FBI, SWAT and Chicago police presence responded to the scene, as well as agents from the Department of Homeland Security and unmarked police vehicles.
A man who had reported to Dirksen for jury duty on the 23rd floor of the Dirksen Federal Building spoke with CBS News Chicago shortly before 3:30 p.m. and said he and about 40 other prospective jurors were allowed to leave, after wondering for hours what was happening in the lobby below.
FBI agents in tactical gear were also focused for a time on a car near the federal building. Agents broke a window to get into the car and then started searching it. It’s unclear if or how the car is connected to the situation inside the Dirksen.
During the standoff, law enforcement officers blocked off streets around the courthouse, including Dearborn Street between Jackson Bouelvard and Adams Street. Along with vehicle traffic, they also restricted pedestrians from walking near the building.
Finally just before 8 p.m., CBS News Chicago witnessed the man being tackled by law enforcement and removed from the courthouse lobby on a stretcher. He had suffered a neck wound.
The U.S. Marshal’s office confirmed that the situation had ended with the suspect being transported to a hospital, and there were no other injuries to report. No further information was to be issued Tuesday night.
The Dirksen, 219 S. Dearborn St., houses U.S. District and bankruptcy courts.
More from CBS News