1st LD Writethru: Reports of active shooter near White House unfounded: police

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Police in Washington D.C. said on Friday that the report of an active shooter blocks away from the White House was unfounded.

"The scene is safe and in the process of being cleared," the D.C. Police Department said in a tweet.

Police recommended people in the area take shelter as they investigated the incident after the report came in after 3 p.m. local time.

They cleared the report unfounded at around 3:40 p.m. after finding no gunman or victims during a search of a building on a block of I Street.

The street was reopened later. Enditem