UPDATE: USA Today has reported that it was a “mistaken report of a person with a weapon” and that there was “no indication of a shooting or a shooter at the building.”
The USA Today headquarters in Virginia was evacuated on Wednesday over reports of a man with a weapon and a possible shooting.
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Mike Valerio of WUSA9 reported on Twitter that they got the first report of a shooting in the building at 12:11 p.m., but later tweeted that the FBI confirmed that there was not a shooting.
NEW — FBI OFFICIAL CONFIRMS WITH ME USA TODAY INCIDENT IS NOT A SHOOTING #BREAKING @WUSA9
— Mike Valerio (@MikevWUSA) August 7, 2019
This was also confirmed by David Martosko of the Daily Mail who tweeted that a law enforcement source told him that they are not treating the incident as an active shooter situation.
A law enforcement source tells me that there have been no shots fired at the USA Today HQ in McLean, Virginia, and they are not treating this as an active-shooter situation.
— David Martosko (@dmartosko) August 7, 2019
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A witness posted video of the building being evacuated shortly after 12:30 p.m.
SWAT teams evacuation at @USATODAY HQ in Tysons pic.twitter.com/dCh6d160Uv
— William Dyer (@wdyerz) August 7, 2019
Police evacuating @USATODAY HQ in tysons corner pic.twitter.com/2aae7g4Co0
— William Dyer (@wdyerz) August 7, 2019
We have evacuated the @USATODAY headquarters in McLean, Virginia, after reports of someone who may have had a weapon in the building. pic.twitter.com/EF8DJQCqsN
— Nathan Bomey (@NathanBomey) August 7, 2019
FIRST got the report of a shooting at the USA Today building at 12:11PM…
Fairfax Police on scene…
Connecting with one woman inside the building now#BREAKING @WUSA9— Mike Valerio (@MikevWUSA) August 7, 2019
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Matt Brooks of the Republican Jewish Coalition tweeted that he received a “text from a family member of an active shooter at the USA Today building near Tyson’s.”
BREAKING: We’ve gotten a text from a family member of an active shooter at the USA Today building near Tyson’s.
— Matt Brooks (@mbrooksrjc) August 7, 2019
The Fairfax County Police confirmed on Twitter that they are responding to the Gannett Building in McLean.
We are responding to reports of a man with weapon at the Gannett Building located at 7950 Jones Branch Drive in McLean. Please avoid the area, updates to follow #FCPD pic.twitter.com/cwz3c9wdUx
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) August 7, 2019
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Police helicopters over @USATODAY @Gannett HQ currently. Law enforcement all over the campus pic.twitter.com/0Jj8IxEXxx
— William Dyer (@wdyerz) August 7, 2019
USA TODAY headquarters building evacuated in McLean VA. Officials are asking us if we saw anything “suspicious” inside. Right now everyone is OK. pic.twitter.com/71fTrY0Tpx
— Claire Thornton (@claire_thornto) August 7, 2019
The situation is ongoing and we will continue to update this post as information becomes available.
