Joint Base Andrews (JBA) lifted its lockdown Thursday morning after a report of an active shooter.
They sent “All Clear” notices via Twitter, noting the lockdown was lifted on the base except at its Malcolm Grow Medical Facility, where the active shooter reports originated:
JBA first reported via Twitter that there was a report of an active shooter at the Air Force base early Thursday morning:
But an active shooter exercise was also scheduled at the base Thursday morning, prompting confusion about whether the reports were real.
Earlier, a U.S. Air Force spokesperson at the Defense Department confirmed the “active shooter” lockdown at Andrews.
“It’s real,” the Air Force spokesman told CBS News.
Later, conflicting reports from local police departments said no emergency units were dispatched to deal with an active shooter situation.
“There is so much confusion right now,” a Prince George’s County police department spokesperson told CBS News. “We don’t know what’s happening there. I can tell you we have no units dispatched to Andrews”
While testifying on Capitol Hill Thursday morning, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson noted to the Senate that he could be called out of the Judiciary Committee oversight hearing because of the “unfolding situation” at JBA.
JBA sent another tweet Thursday morning discussing the “ongoing” situation at the Malcolm Grow Medical Facility, reporting the presence of first responders on the scene.
JBA posted further information to its Facebook page that acknowledged the drill that was supposed to take place.
“The base was scheduled to conduct an active shooter exercise, however, reports of a real-world active shooter situation were reported at Malcolm Grow medical facility,” the post read.
President Obama touched down at Andrews Air Force base Wednesday night after his visit to Ottawa.
Vice President Joe Biden, who is scheduled to travel to Ohio Thursday, received the all clear for his flight and is headed to the base.
