Little Rock Air Force Base on lockdown due to ‘suspicious individual’

Little Rock Air Force Base has been placed on lockdown due to a “suspicious individual,” officials said Wednesday.

“The base is on lockdown as of 11:45 a.m. this morning in the interest of protecting all base members and resources from a suspicious individual,” the military base said in a Facebook statement. Officials said it was not an active shooter situation.

“Emergency personnel are responding to the scene. For safety purposes, base gates are closed at this time. Further details will be
provided as they become available.”

When someone asked what was happening at the base, this response was posted, “Our highly trained emergency personnel are responding and we are on lockdown for the safety of our Airmen and their families. That is all we know at this time,” a CBS affiliate reported.

“Please remain indoors with the doors locked until an all clear is announced,” the base told concerned commenters.

Spokeswoman Lt. Mallory Thornton declined to provide further information about what led to the lockdown, saying more information will be released later Wednesday. Access gates to the base were closed and a line of vehicles stretched for a quarter-mile outside of the base, located in the Jacksonville area, the Associated Press reported.

The base had been conducting emergency response exercises, but officials said Wednesday’s incident was not part of the drill.

More than 5,000 individuals are on active duty at Little Rock.