Man shot dead after attempting to attack NSA headquarters Fort Meade
Man reportedly rams car into top secret base's gate, resulting in shooting at NSA's Maryland headquarters; 2 said hurt
Reports in the US say a man was killed after attempting to ram his car into entrance of Fort Meade, where the National Security Agency (NSA) headquarters are located.
A senior US official said preliminary reports from the scene at Fort Meade, Maryland, indicate one person is dead after a car with two people tried to ram a gate at the base. The official said a firefight ensued after the car tried to crash the gate, and at least one of the two people in the car is dead.
A senior US Department of Defense official said the two men who tried to ram their sport utility vehicle through the gate were dressed as women.
"NSA security personnel prevented them from gaining access to the installation," an NSA statement said. It quoted Fort Meade's garrison commander, Colonel Brian Foley, as saying: "The incident has been contained and is under investigation."
FBI spokeswoman Amy J. Thoreson said the scene is contained and that it does not appear to be linked to terrorism. She said the agency was working with the US Attorney's Office in Maryland to determine if federal charges are warranted. Thoreson also said FBI agents were doing interviews with witnesses.
According to WUSA9 chopper video, two cars were damaged outside of the gates and at least one person in a uniform being was wheeled on a stretcher to an ambulance.
Sources reportedly told CBS that the vehicle attempted to ram the gate, and guards there shot at the vehicle. At least one person was shot, according to sources.
According to Fox, local police say the National Security Agency is handling the investigation, WUSA9 reported. The incident happened around 9:30 a.m. local time.
Fort Meade, located in Maryland, is home to around 11,000 military personnel and 29,000 civilian employees, its website says.
The NSA headquarters is on the sprawling Army installation at Fort Meade, Maryland, near Baltimore. An NSA spokesperson declined to comment.
Local television showed two damaged vehicles near a gate and emergency workers loading an injured uniformed man into an ambulance.
The AP contributed to this report
