Advertisement

Report of Navy Yard shooting creates concern, chaos and confusion

By Amy R. Connolly and Doug G. Ware
Police respond to reports of gunfire at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. on July 2, 2015. Earlier Thursday gun shots were reported in the same building that 12 people were killed in during a 2013 mass shooting. After a heavy police response and search no evidence of a shooting or gunman found. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
1 of 10 | Police respond to reports of gunfire at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. on July 2, 2015. Earlier Thursday gun shots were reported in the same building that 12 people were killed in during a 2013 mass shooting. After a heavy police response and search no evidence of a shooting or gunman found. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

WASHINGTON, July 2 (UPI) -- A report of another shooting at the Washington Navy Yard early Thursday created a flurry of confusion among the news media, the public and perhaps even police.

Authorities were notified around 7:40 a.m. EDT of a caller's report of a shooting at the facility, which serves as the headquarters for numerous offices of the military branch. It is the same complex where a gunman opened fire and killed 12 people two years ago.

Advertisement

However, after a massive police response, a lockdown and a careful investigation, officials concluded that no shooting had taken place.

The incident began with a 911 call reporting the shooting. Multiple law-enforcement agencies, including the FBI, local police and the U.S. Park Police, swarmed the Navy Yard in response. At the time, the Navy confirmed the lockdown, but not the nature of the emergency.

During the incident, several witnesses told CNN they did not hear any shots fired but were ordered to evacuate their building and to stay out of the cafeteria.

Compounding the confusion surrounding the supposed shooting, multiple D.C.-area media outlets cited officials as having "confirmed" the shooting.

Advertisement

"Multiple sources confirm there was a shooting at Navy Yard just after 7:30 a.m.," one Washington news outlet tweeted. One of its reporters later added that "2 law enforcement sources say TWO armed men seen inside #NavyYard bldg 197, 1 possible victim."

"Source confirms shooting," another reporter tweeted.

Another Washington, D.C., television station cited police officials in reporting that two gunmen were at the Navy Yard.

"Navy security sources say police are looking for 2 men at #NavyYard," the station tweeted.

It wasn't initially clear who might have given such information to the media outlets or why. The Washington Post detailed the erroneous media reports later Thursday.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Scott Williams told CNN earlier that the scene was a "mirror image" of the 2013 shooting scene.

"It's almost identical and it brings back a lot of painful memories," he said.

Law enforcement officials are on heightened alert with the upcoming July 4th holiday weekend and reports of possible planned terror attacks.

Latest Headlines