Bethesda, MD – Staff and patients are taking cover as authorities responded to an active shooter situation at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda on Tuesday afternoon.

A “code white” alert was sent out shortly after 2 p.m. from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Emergency Notification System that warned of an active shooter in building 19 on the medical center’s campus, also known as the America building, Newsweek reported.

The America building is located inside the main hospital.

A full lockdown was ordered with everyone told to shelter in place, Newsweek reported.

Montgomery County police were called in to assist military police in clearing the hospital buildings.

U.S. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Maryland) was inside the hospital when the facility went into lockdown.

Ruppersberger tweeted that he was locked into a conference room, safe with numerous other people.

UPDATE:

The Pentagon has announced that the active shooter threat at Walter Reed on Tuesday afternoon was actually a drill.

Pentagon Spokesperson Army Lieutenant Colonel Audricia Harris told FOX News there is no active shooter at the medical center.

Shortly after that, the U.S. Navy issued a tweet that the all clear had been given and no shooter had been found.

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