D.C. Tightens Security After Belgian Bomb Blasts

Following terrorist attacks in Brussels Tuesday morning — in which at least 34 people were reported killed and more than 100 injured at the time this paper went to press — D.C. metro-area public transportation hubs raised security levels. K9 sweeps and patrols were increased and public transit riders were urged, “If you see something, say something.”

Flights to Brussels were canceled after two bomb blasts hit the international airport at 8 a.m., followed by a blast at the Maelbeek Metro station, less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy, at 9:15 a.m. Both sites are about three miles from NATO headquarters. The Terrorist State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, claimed responsibility. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not heighten its federal threat level, though it urged the public to report suspicious activity.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority released a statement that included the following: “Reagan National and Dulles International airports have a robust security structure, both publicly visible and behind the scenes.”

Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier’s statement read: “Being the law enforcement agency that provides public safety to our Nation’s Capital the Metropolitan Police Department remains at a heightened state of alert at all times. We are aware of the tragic events in Brussels and are actively coordinating the appropriate resources with local and federal law enforcement and homeland security agencies to maintain the public’s safety in the District. As we continue to monitor intelligence reports and work with our federal partners, we ask residents to also stay alert of their surroundings.”