‘Gunshot’ report causes lockdown at Grand Forks Air Force Base

Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota was placed on lockdown Wednesday after someone reported hearing a gunshot, but nothing was found during an hours-long search and there were no reports of injuries, officials say.

The incident began at around 1 p.m. on Wednesday when a lockdown message was issued, warning people about an “Active Shooter situation” on base. “All base personnel implement LOCKDOWN procedures and immediately take shelter,” the message said.

Lea Greene, a spokesperson for Grand Forks Air Force Base, said the lockdown was issued “out of an abundance of caution” after someone reported hearing a single gunshot near the medical clinic and base exchange.

“No injuries were reported and no source of the sound was located during a thorough door-to-door sweep which concluded late this afternoon,” Greene said in a statement. The lockdown was lifted at 4:35 p.m.

“Grand Forks Air Force Base leadership would like to thank local law enforcement, emergency responders, and the school district for providing fast and expert response,” Greene said.

Grand Forks AFB is home to the 319th Reconnaissance Wing which provides high-altitude intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to the United States Air Force. The base is located near the city with same name, about 77 miles northwest of Fargo.