Officials: Shooter scare at Army base was false alarm

Published June 28, 2017

A security scare that shut down an Alabama Army base and sparked fears of a shooting was a false alarm, the military said Wednesday.

A statement released by Redstone Arsenal said someone reported what they thought was a gunshot at the installation Tuesday. The installation sent a Tweet warning people of a possible active shooter and telling them to "run hide fight."

Officials previously said they acted based on two 911 calls. But military investigators have determined the report of a gunshot was wrong, and the statement called the whole incident a false alarm.

The emergency calls came from within Redstone Arsenal, where more than 30,000 people work. Leadership took the threat seriously and acted because workforce safety is a top priority, said the statement by Col. Thomas Holliday, the garrison commander.

"Training and preparation for these incidents paid off; the system worked, due in large part to the partnerships and mutual cooperation the arsenal shares with local, state and federal authorities," Holliday said.

Police cars with flashing lights rushed to the scene and blocked entrances to the post, home to Army missile defense programs, NASA's rocket propulsion operations and federal law enforcement agencies.

Even before any gunfire was confirmed, Gov. Kay Ivey offered her prayers and social media lit up with worried friends and families talking about the lockdown.

In the end, an investigation found there was no active shooter and no shots were fired, Holliday said.

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