WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Coast Guard personnel fired gunshots at a suspicious ship on the Potomac river in Washington D.C., Friday morning, on the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
CNN and Fox News said the Coast Guard had tried to contact the ship, which was believed to be a recreational boat, but got no radio response.
Then Guard members decided to fire on the boat. It is believed that ten rounds were fired.
It is not known if anyone was injured in the incident and officials said the shots were warning shots only.
The incident came as the whole nation is observing the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks which killed nearly 3,000 people.
The Coast Guard began patrolling the Potomac after security was increased in the wake of 9/11 attacks.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...t_12036277.htm
CNN Under Fire For Erroneous Coast Guard Shots Report
CNN is under fire for its erroneous report that the Coast Guard was firing shots on the Potomac River.
The report was infused with tension given that the shots — which turned out to be a routine training exercise — came on the eighth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
From the AP:
CNN reported the Coast Guard had fired 10 rounds at a suspicious boat, and showed vessels circling in the water -- near the bridge President Barack Obama's motorcade crossed on the way to a memorial at the Pentagon Friday morning.
CNN was later forced to retract the report.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_283544.html
Routine training exercise?? On 9/11 anniversary?? What a great idea!
Let's just say this beats the pants off of the Air Force One blunder
