By Tim Reid

(Reuters) -The handgun used in the ambush of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday was a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, said on Thursday.

Here are five facts about the weapon.

IT’S A POWERFUL HANDGUN

The handgun, which was first introduced in the 1930s, is typically a six-shooter revolver that fires rounds at a high velocity and has been popular with law enforcement officials for its stopping power and ability to penetrate vehicles.

THE .357 SMITH & WESSON IS RARELY USED IN PUBLIC SHOOTINGS

The gun, which has limited ammunition capacity compared with semi-automatic pistols that can carry 10-17 rounds or more, is rarely used in public or mass shootings. It is more commonly used for target

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