A stolen police helicopter fired 15 shots at the Venezuelan Interior Ministry and Supreme Court building in Caracas, and dumped four hand grenades in what the government is calling a "terrorist attack".

"It could've caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured," said President Nicolas Maduro.  The shots rang out as some 80 people were gathered at the Interior Ministry for a National Journalists Day reception, before the chopper moved on toward the court.  No one was injured.

The attack came hours after a man now identified as Oscar Perez released a video to social media calling for a revolution against the democratically-elected government.  The local media says he was a member of the intelligence and investigative service CICPC.  Security forces are searching for Perez as well as the stolen German-built Bolkow helicopter. 

Later, local news showed photos of Perez standing in front of the US Capitol in Washington which the government says bolsters its long-held contention that the US has been working behind the scenes to destabilize the country and its economy.  Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said one of the grenades did not explode; it was Israeli-made but of "Colombian origin".