- The employees of the US Department of Defense office building had to hide for more than an hour after the gunshots rang out.
- The Pentagon went into lockdown after a shooting at a station outside its office.
- Buses heading in this direction are diverted, and subway services are temporarily suspended.
The Pentagon went into lockdown on Tuesday after a shooting at a bus and subway station outside the high-security US military headquarters.
Employees of the U.S. Department of Defense office building on the outskirts of Arlington, Washington, were ordered to take refuge in place for more than an hour after gunfire broke out at the station. The entrance of the station is only tens of yards (meters) from the main entrance of the building.
According to first responders, “multiple people” were injured, but there are no details of the injuries.
The subway service was temporarily suspended, and the bus to the station was diverted to another station, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority.
The Pentagon’s security forces said in a Twitter statement
Due to an accident at the Pentagon Transit Center, the Pentagon is currently in lockdown. We call on the public to avoid this area.
About 40 minutes later, the force stated that the scene of the incident was safe, but did not provide any details of what happened.
“This is still an active crime scene. We ask everyone to stay away from subway track entrances and bus stop areas. Pentagon traffic will be transferred to Pentagon City.”
The Arlington County Emergency Services Department said it encountered “multiple” people in need of treatment at the scene, but did not provide more information.
In this iconic pentagonal building, there are a large number of safety, fire and rescue vehicles.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was not in the building at the time.
According to sources at the Pentagon, Austin meets regularly with President Joe Biden.
