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The Pentagon went into lockdown on Tuesday after multiple injuries in a shooting at its nearby Metro, bus, and rail transit center. A police officer is said to be among the wounded, and the suspect reportedly fled on a Metro train.
The Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia – the headquarters of the US Department of Defense – was put into lockdown due to “an incident” at the facility’s Metro station, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) said in a tweet on Tuesday morning, without providing further details.
Local media reported that several people, including a police officer, were injured after gunshots were fired at the transit center.
PFPA official tells me that the shooter was shot by a Pentagon police officer and did not get inside the building. One other officer was injured and transported to get medical attention. The scene is now secure but everyone is to remain inside the building for now. https://t.co/qkUDPp2Oai
— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) August 3, 2021
A Politico reporter, citing sources with the PFPA, said that a shooter was neutralized by a Pentagon police officer and did not make it inside the military headquarters. She added that another officer was injured in the incident and is receiving medical attention off-site.
However, local media reported that a suspect escaped on a Metro train towards Washington, DC, and warned passengers to be on the lookout for a man in a blood-stained white t-shirt.
The identity and motives of the attacker – or attackers – have not been disclosed.
Arlington Fire and Emergency Medical Service confirmed via Twitter that they encountered multiple patients and that the “scene is still active.” Footage shared on social media appeared to show CPR being administered to at least two people.
The Pentagon currently is on lock down due to an incident at the Pentagon Transit Center. We are asking the public to please avoid the area. More information will be forthcoming.
— Pentagon Force Protection Agency (Official) (@PFPAOfficial) August 3, 2021
An Arlington police source confirms a Pentagon officer was injured and transported after shooting near metro station platform that’s put the Pentagon on lockdown. @fox5dc is on scene pic.twitter.com/E7lf8YkSSP
— Lindsay Watts (@LindsayAWatts) August 3, 2021
In videos posted online, police and emergency response vehicles can be seen rushing towards the Metro station, which is just meters away from the Pentagon building. A reporter for Newsy said that sniffer dogs were deployed at the site to sweep for any possible explosive material.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Washington Field Division, also confirmed that they were responding to the “shooting” incident near the Pentagon.
— The Gambling Tailor (@TheGambleTailor) August 3, 2021
An announcement at the Pentagon itself said that the lockdown was due to “police activity.” Subway trains were ordered to bypass the station so that the police operation could continue unhindered.
In a tweet just before noon local time (4pm GMT), the PFPA confirmed that “the scene of the incident is secure” and the lockdown was lifted soon after. The agency added that facility was still an active crime scene and requested people stay away from the Metro rail entrance and bus platform area.
The scene of the incident is secure. It is still an active crime scene. We request that everyone stay away from the Metro rail entrance and bus platform area. Transportation at the Pentagon is diverted to Pentagon City.
— Pentagon Force Protection Agency (Official) (@PFPAOfficial) August 3, 2021
Though the Pentagon lockdown has been lifted, the transit center remains largely closed down for investigation into the incident, causing major transportation disruptions to the Washington, DC area. Two metro rail lines have suspended service, while a major transfer station inside the capital remains closed. Several bus routes have been disrupted as well, including the one serving Dulles International Airport.
