Additional Coverage:
- Midshipman injured after mistaking law enforcement for shooter during lockdown at Naval Academy (cnn.com)
Annapolis, MD – A midshipman at the US Naval Academy was injured Thursday following a lockdown prompted by online misinformation about an active shooter. The academy was locked down after anonymous threats and reports of an active shooter circulated on a chat platform. However, a Navy official confirmed there was no active shooter on campus.
Internal communications reveal the midshipman mistook law enforcement personnel for the alleged shooter and reacted by striking a security officer with a parade rifle. The midshipman was subsequently shot in the arm. Both individuals are receiving medical treatment and are in stable condition.
The Naval Academy’s commandant cautioned against the spread of disinformation, confirming the incident was one of several false active shooter reports across the country currently under FBI investigation. An all-clear was issued early Friday morning, though the academy remained closed to the public for the day.
This incident comes amid a tense national climate following the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah college campus and a wave of active shooter hoaxes targeting other colleges, including several historically Black colleges and universities which faced lockdowns and cancellations on Thursday.