Joint Base Andrews locked down for several hours after armed person reported

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joint Base Andrews, one of the nation’s most sensitive military bases and home to Air Force One, was locked down for several hours Thursday after reports of a man carrying an “assault-style” rifle, authorities said.

After two hours of searching, security did not find a man matching the description, and the lockdown was fully lifted an hour later at 6 p.m., the base said in an update.

The Maryland base was locked down around 2:30 p.m. after the person was reportedly seen near the base’s housing area, according to the base’s Facebook page.

Staff Sgt. Jared Duhon, a spokesperson for the base, said no shots have been fired.

Joint Base Andrews, a few miles outside Washington, is home to the fleet of blue and white presidential aircraft, including Air Force One and the “doomsday” 747 aircraft that can serve as the nation’s airborne nuclear command and control centers if needed.

Last month, an intruder breached the base and gained access to part of the base’s housing complex. A resident opened fire on the trespasser. And in February 2021, a man got through the military checkpoint onto the installation, then through additional fenced secure areas to gain access to the flight line and climb into a C-40, which is the military’s 737-equivalent aircraft used to fly government officials.