Offutt Air Force Base goes on lockdown
Alert triggered ‘out of an abundance of caution’ after loud bangs heard on base.
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Offutt Air Force Base went on lockdown for a few minutes Wednesday afternoon.
An Offutt AFB official told 6 News that law enforcement there had received reports about “loud banging sounds” inside one of the buildings on the base.
“So out of an abundance of caution, our defenders closed the base down,” an Offutt AFB spokesperson said. “Everybody did exactly as they were trained.”
Once the base had been cleared, the base was reopened as normal.
“The main goal is to keep everybody safe here on the installation. ... The defenders, you know, on the side of caution, maybe inconvenienced folks for a little bit. But at the end of the day, that’s their job: to keep everybody safe. And that’s what they did,” the spokesperson said.
Initial posts on the base’s official social media accounts just after 2 p.m. advised those on base to remain inside and lock and barricade doors. About 20 minutes after the first tweet was sent, the “all clear” was given.
The posts stated “REAL WORLD” before noting that movement on base was restricted — in contrast to the training exercises conducted last week and in February, alerting residents and media in the area about increased activity on the base.
The base conducted a nuclear training exercise on Tuesday, April 10; and other training exercises on Thursday and Friday.
A lockdown was also prompted by a “trespasser” during Februrary’s training exercise after a vehicle with several people in it — one of whom had several outstanding misdemeanor warrants — made a wrong turn onto the base.
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This is a developing story. Stay with 6 News for updates.
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