McLEAN, Va. — The headquarters of USA Today was evacuated Wednesday afternoon as police responded to reports of a man with a weapon in the building.
The newspaper reported that alarms sounded and police squad cars converged on the scene as employees waited outside. Law enforcement officers with rifles and body armor patrolled the area and a helicopter hovered overhead.
A Northern Virginia police chief said before 1 p.m. that a report of a former Gannett employee with a handgun prompted the evacuation.
Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin Roessler told The Associated Press on Wednesday afternoon that people are still sheltering in place in other parts as officers work to clear the building in suburban Washington.
The police department said shortly after 1 p.m. that officers hadn’t found “evidence of any acts of violence or injuries.”
Taylor Rosa, an accountant for Gannett, says some workers looked panicked as they evacuated but others were just confused.
UPDATE: We are working to investigate this reported threat. Officers are currently working to clear the building. At this time, we have found no evidence of any acts of violence or injuries. #FCPD #FairfaxCounty pic.twitter.com/CbCfsO2etj
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) August 7, 2019
Evacuation at Tegna and USA Today building in Tysons. Suspicious activity. Building evacuated. Police on scene. pic.twitter.com/8QvmTcrW0P
— Shauna McNally (@Shauna_McNally) August 7, 2019
Massive law enforcement response at @usatoday HQ in tysons, under evacuation pic.twitter.com/Bwec3A7yhw
— William Dyer (@wdyerz) August 7, 2019