[Updated] Scare at Washington Navy Yard

Tensions were high Thursday morning after a worker at the Washington Navy Yard reported hearing gunfire in the same area as a 2013 massacre.  

The Washington DC Police Department received a call from a worker around 7:29am. The U.S. Navy imposed a lockdown on the entire facility shortly thereafter. Both civilian and military law enforcement responded on scene and swept building 197 for possible gunmen.

Several major streets in the DC area were shut down due to the large number of police on scene.

At around 10:00am federal authorities issued the all clear and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser later confirmed that Navy Yard facility had been thoroughly search. The DC Police Department released a statement on Twitter saying, “at this time we have completed our search of the building and have found no evidence of a shooting or injured personnel. The scene has been turned back over to the NavSea Command.”

The Washington Navy Yard was the scene of the second deadliest shooting at an American military facility two years ago. In 2013 gunman Aaron Alexis went on an hour-long massacre, killing 12 and injuring 8 more. Alexis, a former Navy reservist was described as having a history of mental illness. He was killed in an ensuing fire fight with police. 

The Mayor’s Office has opened conseling facilities for Navy Yard residents and staff following today’s incident.