US Joint Base Andrews near Washington DC is on lockdown on Thursday due to a report of an active shooter.
Personnel have been told to shelter in place.
Joint Base Andrews is the military facility where the US presidential aircraft, Air Force One, is based.
“The incident is ongoing at the Malcolm Grow Medical Facility. First responders are on-scene now,” base officials said on Twitter.
No other details were immediately available, and base officials did not return calls for comment.
The base is in Maryland, about 15 miles (24km) from the White House.
The Irish Times
The US air base that is home to the Presidential plane Air Force One is on lockdown over reports that a shooter is active on site.
US defence officials have confirmed that the shooter at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland remains “active”.
Tweets sent by the base have instructed all personnel at the base in the Washington DC suburbs to find shelter and stay in place.
The base’s Facebook page said that the incident was ongoing at the Malcolm Grow Medical Facility.
A statement said: “There were reports of an active shooter incident on base at Malcolm Grow medical facility at approximately 9am (local time) today, June 30, 2016.
“Personnel on base have been directed to shelter in place.
“The base was scheduled to conduct an active shooter exercise, however, reports of a real-world active shooter situation were reported at Malcolm Grow medical facility.
“First responders are currently on scene to secure the location.
“Due to the serious nature of this report, the base is reacting to ensure the safety of all personnel.
“More information will be released as it becomes available.”
Rodney Smith, a patient advocate who was in an unaffected building in the base’s medical facility, said: “First it was an active-shooter exercise. Then it came back ‘real world.'”
Video footage showed people being led with their hands aloft on the site and AP reports at least three soldiers in camouflage fatigues walking around the medical facility with dogs.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said there is an “unfolding situation” at the base but provided no further details.
Joint Base Andrews is where the US President’s Boeing 747 is based and is about 20 miles (32km) from the centre of Washington DC.
Sky News
Shooting at Andrews AFB (home of Air Force One)
