Suspect in custody, no bomb found after Joint Base Andrews lockdown
WASHINGTON — Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, the military facility in suburban Washington where the presidential aircraft Air Force One is based, was put on lockdown on Thursday after a woman claiming to have a bomb strapped to her chest arrived at a visitor’s center.
The individual was apprehended by emergency personnel and an explosives team determined no explosive device was on scene.
“The situation has been (defused),” the base said on Twitter later on Thursday evening. It warned base residents and personnel to avoid the area, which still had a presence of emergency responders.
The situation has been diffused; emergency personnel continue to secure the area and all base residents/personnel should avoid the area.
— Joint Base Andrews (@AndrewsAirForce) May 12, 2016
The base said on Twitter that at roughly 5:15 p.m. there was “a security incident” reported at the Visitor Control Center on base, and that emergency responders were on scene.
At approximately 5:15 p.m. today, there was a security incident reported at the Visitor Control Center. Emergency responders are on scene
— Joint Base Andrews (@AndrewsAirForce) May 12, 2016
The Main Gate was put on lockdown and all personnel and residents were warned to avoid the area “until further notice,” a base official Tweeted.
The Main Gate is currently in lockdown. All personnel and residents should avoid the area until further notice.
— Joint Base Andrews (@AndrewsAirForce) May 12, 2016
As emergency responders worked to defuse the situation, the base said in a series of Tweets that missions had not been impacted, nor were flights being redirected. The base also said there was no impact to traffic on Allentown Road, civilian property or businesses around the area.
JBA missions have not been impacted, nor are flights being redirected.
— Joint Base Andrews (@AndrewsAirForce) May 12, 2016
ABC News said in a Tweet that the base was put on lockdown after a woman claiming to have a bomb appeared at a center for visitors. Later, the broadcaster reported that the incident was over, and an individual had been taken into custody and did not have a bomb.
JUST IN: Woman claiming to have bomb appeared at Joint Base Andrews visitors center; emergency responders on scene, Air Force official says.
— ABC News (@ABC) May 12, 2016
A spokeswoman for the Air Force had no further information to release.
Joint Base Andrews is the primary military air installation in the Washington, D.C. area and is the home base for Air Force One.
