Vehicle backfire prompted shelter

by: Brian Farrell

Posted: Apr 20, 2023 / 01:55 PM EDT

Updated: Apr 20, 2023 / 05:32 PM EDT

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (DC News Now) — Marine Corps Base Quantico (MCBQ) gave the base the "all clear" Thursday afternoon, more than an hour after a shelter-in-place order had been issued because of "law enforcement activity" in a housing area.

The reason for the shelter-in-place order: a backfiring vehicle.

MCBQ said that security dispatch received a report that five shots had been fired around 12:35 p.m. in the vicinity of Lyman Park, behind the commissary. Base security investigated, talking to witnesses, and determined that there was no gunfire, but that the noises most likely came from a backfiring vehicle.

The base first tweeted its shelter-in-place advisory at 1:19 p.m. A follow-up tweet at 1:33 p.m. said that all inbound and outbound traffic was stopped.

At 1:49 p.m., the base tweeted: "ALL personnel on main side Quantico are to shelter in place until further notice. Disregard any previous message sent in error. Repeat shelter in place until further notice."

The all clear was given around 2:30 p.m.

Here is the full statement about the incident that Marine Corps Base Quantico put out around 3 p.m.:

Marine Corps Base Quantico is all clear.

At approximately 12:35 p.m., base security dispatch received a report of five shots fired in vicinity of the Lyman Park housing area behind the commissary. Base personnel and residents were notified to shelter in place as units responded. After securing the area, speaking to witnesses and investigating the scene, it was determined that the reports were based on a possible vehicle backfire. The all clear was given at 2:30 p.m. No evidence of shots being fired was identified, and no injuries were reported during this incident.

Thank you to all base personnel and families for the prompt adherence to the shelter in place order and to law enforcement personnel for their quick response.

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