Midshipman Shot at U.S. Naval Academy During Lockdown

A midshipman was shot Thursday evening at the U.S. Naval Academy, prompting hours of lockdown and a large police presence, according to Navy officials.

The incident began shortly after 5 p.m. when Naval Security Forces and local police responded to reports of suspicious activity on campus. While authorities confirmed there was no active shooter threat, one person was injured as security teams cleared a building. The midshipman was flown to a hospital in stable condition.

Much of the response was centered near Bancroft Hall, the academy’s massive dormitory housing more than 1,600 midshipmen, the largest college dormitory in the world. Gate 1, the main entrance, was shut down and guarded by armed Navy officers as the investigation unfolded. Parents gathered nearby, waiting anxiously for word from their children.

Across the street from Gate 2, St. John’s College student Tobin Rotman said he and friends were preparing to watch the sunset when they heard a siren and a loudspeaker announcement: “This is not a test! Mandatory lockdown! Imminent danger!” Minutes later, Rotman said, police cars and helicopters swarmed the area.

Inside the walls, groups of midshipmen were seen moving between buildings as helicopters and news crews circled overhead. Some students caught off campus reported being told to wait for clearance before returning.

Even amid the tense lockdown, food delivery drivers continued to arrive with pizzas and subs at the academy’s pickup point. By 8 p.m., police and emergency vehicles began leaving the main gate, though just two blocks away, Annapolis’s busy City Dock appeared unaffected.

The shooting came one day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on a Utah college campus, and just hours after Maryland legislative leaders reported receiving bomb threats at their homes. Both House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson confirmed they were safe, calling the threats “non-credible” and denouncing political violence.

Midshipman Shot At U.S. Naval Academy During Lockdown In Annapolis  was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com