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Active Shooter Reported At Walter Reed Medical Center Was Just A Drill, Officials Had ‘No Idea’ [UPDATED]

By Danny Cox
Published on: 07:14 PST, Nov 27, 2018

An active shooter was reported on the ground of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Tuesday afternoon. The facility in Bethesda, Maryland, had the police called to the scene just after 2:20 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, and it was also reported that a congressman happened to be on the scene. United States Representative Charles Albert Dutch Ruppersberger III, D-Maryland, was actually confined to a conference room with dozens of other people.

KWTX reported that a building on the campus of Walter Reed Military Medical Center was locked down on Tuesday. Authorities of the center and the Bethesda police were in the process of searching it when the representative sent out a tweet regarding his status and that of many other people.

News 965 reported that police and campus authorities continued searching the campus and began to realize that the reports of an active shooter may have been too quick. The authorities found no evidence of a gunman at Walter Reed, but they wanted everyone to remain sheltered in place.

With that information making its way around the campus, that is why Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger stayed in the conference room with numerous other people.

About half an hour after Ruppersberger’s original tweet regarding his status, his Twitter account issued an update. Obviously, those in the conference room have not received a ton of info regarding the situation as they still weren’t even sure if it was a drill or not.

As time passed and Walter Reed Military Center remained on lockdown, there were conflicting reports being tossed around social media. Some even said that the campus would keep its gates closed, but that the initial reports state there are no signs of an active shooter.

Megan Cloherty of WTOP is reporting that the basement of Building 19 is where authorities appear to be focused in their search, but they have not yet given a reason as to why.

Those on campus and inside of buildings on Walter Reed’s campus are still not sure what is going on. Many are witnessing numerous search teams moving around with weapons out and looking for whatever or whoever may have caused the reports from the beginning.

UPDATE at 3:20 p.m. on November 27, 2018

Despite reports that police were responding to an active shooter at Walter Reed Military Center, WJLA is stating that this was just a military exercise.

Numerous people on the campus of the medical facility were hopping on social media as many feared for the safety of their loved ones. WJLA is now reporting that the entire incident was an “exercise” as stated by Lt. Col. Audricia Harris who is a spokesperson for the Department of Defense.

Right before 3:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday afternoon, an “all clear” was given at Walter Reed Military Medical Center, but it appears as if there was never any real danger. The reports of an active shooter were not warranted and the authorities were simply participating in a drill.

Even though a U.S. Representative was confined to a conference room, officials at Walter Reed confirmed it was a drill despite having no idea that it was going to happen.

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