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Police open fire, arrest 3 after SUV tries to access NSA complex

By Sara Shayanian and Danielle Haynes

Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Authorities at the National Security Agency's Maryland headquarters opened fire on a vehicle attempting to access the compound Wednesday resulting in non-gunfire-related injuries to three people, the FBI said.

Gordon Johnson, special agent in charge for the FBI, told reporters the injured included an NSA officer, a bystander and the driver of an SUV that attempted to gain unauthorized access to the campus. None of the injuries were a result of gunfire, and emergency officials transported the injured to a hospital.

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He said police arrested three male suspects in the SUV.

The black SUV allegedly tried to enter the NSA's Fort Meade campus through Gate 1 on Maryland's Highway 32 around 7 a.m. when police opened fire.

"This vehicle did come onto the NSA's compound unauthorized," Johnson said. "NSA police responded accordingly.

"We are trying to talk to them to understand why they were here," he said of the suspects.

The SUV came to a stop against a concrete barrier.

"We believe there is no indication to think this is anything more than an isolated incident," Johnson said. "We believe there is no nexus at all to terrorism."

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The FBI said the SUV appeared to be a rental vehicle and had New York license plates. Johnson declined to say whether the occupants of the vehicle opened fire at officers.

Fort Meade is located about 30 miles northeast of Washington, D.C., and serves as headquarters for a number of government agencies -- including the NSA, United States Cyber Command and the Defense Information Systems Agency.

Highway 32 was closed in both directions Wednesday morning, Anne Arundel County Public Schools said -- adding that the situation would "cause delays in bus transportation for students near Fort Meade."

The White House said in a statement that President Donald Trump was informed of the shooting.

"The president has been briefed on the shooting at Fort Meade. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone that has been affected," White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said.

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