Washington ( CNN ) A shooting that prompted the lockdown of the U.S. Capitol for several hours Saturday was a suicide and does not have an apparent connection to terrorism , Capitol Police Chief Kim Dine said in a news conference . An unidentified male walked through a public area on the west front of the Capitol early Saturday afternoon and shot himself , Dine told reporters . Witnesses told CNN dozens of shocked onlookers watched , including some young children . The unidentified shooter had a backpack and a rolling suitcase that authorities treated as treated suspicious packages , prompting the lockdown as they were investigated , Capitol police said . The male carried a sign with a message about `` social justice , '' authorities said . A witness , Robert Bishop , told CNN it also said something about taxing the `` 1 % . '' Dine said there was `` no nexus to terrorism '' apparent so far in this incident . The building and the nearby Capitol Visitors Center were locked down , meaning tourists or any staff could not enter or leave the buildings . The Capitol area was crowded with tourists taking in the Cherry Blossom trees , which are in full bloom along the National Mall . Members of the Capitol police force , which responded to the scene , did not fire their weapons , Dine said . After the suspicious packages were examined , the lockdown was lifted about 3:50 p.m . ET and pedestrian traffic was allowed . Responding to the incident were the Metropolitan Police Department , which is investigating the death , as well as the FBI , Secret Service and Park Police . Many tourists at the scene were filming at the time and showed their photos and video to investigating law enforcement officers . CNN 's Ted Barrett and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report .
Capitol police said a male shot himself as shocked onlookers watched . The man was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to police.