Traffic is not being allowed on the Maryland campus of the intelligence agency.
At least one person is injured as authorities are respond to a shooting outside of the National Security Administration’s Maryland headquarters Wednesday morning.
“NSA police and local law enforcement are addressing an incident that took place this morning at one of NSA’s security vehicle entry gates. The situation is under control and there’s no ongoing security or safety threat,” an NSA statement said.
Fort Meade garrison spokeswoman Cheryl Phillips confirmed by phone to The Associated Press that one person was injured in the shooting outside the base and was taken to a hospital.
Some local media reports say three people were injured in a shooting, but that hasn’t been confirmed by the NSA. The reports suggest not all of the injuries may be bullet wounds.
Images from a traffic helicopter show a handcuffed person in a hooded sweatshirt sitting down with their head bowed. A black SUV dotted with bullet holes is stopped by barriers, airbags appear to be deployed and the tailgate is open with objects falling out.
Fort Meade, which includes the NSA campus, said a “police investigation” is ongoing and a highway in the area is closed. Traffic is not being allowed onto the campus.
WBAL radio traffic reporter Jim Russ said three victims alive and a police officer is among them.
In a statement, the White House said, « Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone that has been affected. We will continue to provide updates as they become available. »
Despite prominent highway signs, drivers occasionally take the wrong exit and end up at the tightly secured gates. Most motorists then carefully follow the orders of heavily armed federal officers and turn around without getting into more trouble.
But in early 2015, two people were shot at by NSA police when they disobeyed orders outside the heavily secured campus. One driver died at the scene after NSA police opened fire on a stolen sports utility vehicle. Authorities later said they had stolen a car from a man who picked them up for a party at a motel.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
