California: Air base ends lockdown after false reports of gunfire

The Travis Air Force Base in northern California was put on security lockdown for about two hours after a false alarm was triggered in response to erroneous reports of gunfire, on Wednesday, June 14, according to base officials.

At about 3:30 p.m. local time (2330 GMT), a notice was first posted to official social media accounts of the base reporting that the installation was "responding to a real world security incident," though no details about the nature of the threat were initially provided.

Personnel and families were advised via Facebook and Twitter  to "shelter in place" as television news footage broadcasted live on local media from Travis, showed a traffic backup near an entrance to the installation. The authorities sealed off the base.

However, an all-clear was issued by the base, located near Fairfield, California, about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of San Francisco, within two hours.

One of the base officials posted on Facebook soon after, saying, "Travis Air Force Base emergency personnel responded to reports of gunshots at the Base Exchange. However, it was determined to be a false alarm. The base is no longer under lockdown...We take every security incident seriously."

Base officials could not be reached by telephone for further comment or information.