3 Shooters at Navy Yard: What You Need to Know About the Yard

Matt Berman, Patrick Reis, Brian Resnick and Marina Koren

An active shooting is underway at Washington D.C.'s Navy Yard Monday morning. At least ten people have been shot, including two police officers, according to the MPD. A senior Navy official told NBC that at least a dozen people have been shot, with multiple people dead. Metropolitan Police told the Washington Post that three shooters are involved with the violence, one is down and two remain in the building. The Navy has not confirmed the reports of multiple shooters. NBC is reporting that there are at least two shooters, with at least one currently down.

The Navy confirmed that an active shooter was inside the Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters building at 8:20 AM, and a shelter in place order was issued for personnel.

Much of Washington D.C. has been shut down as the search for the shooter goes on. Schools and businesses in the area are on lockdown. All flights were grounded this morning at Ronald Reagan National Airport, but that order has since been lifted.

The Navy is reporting fatalities on the scene:

The White House says that President Obama has been briefed "several times" this morning about the situation. The full statement from the White House:

The President has been briefed several times about the unfolding situation at the Washington Navy Yard by Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco and Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco. The President directed his team to stay in touch with our federal partners, including the Navy and FBI, as well as the local officials. We urge citizens to listen to the authorities and follow directions from the first responders on site.

We'll continue to update this post as more comes in.

Here's what you need to know about the Yard itself:

  • The Naval Sea Systems Command is the largest of the Navy's commands, with a fiscal year budget of almost $30 billion. About 3,000 people work in the headquarters.

  • The Navy Yard, which is a national historic landmark, was for decades known as a "ceremonial gateway" to D.C. 

  • Purchased in 1798, the Washington Navy Yard was established in October 1799 and built under the direction of the first secretary of the Navy.

  • The yard has a firm place in U.S. history: In 1865, the Lincoln assassination conspirators were brought there after they were captured; including the body of John Wilkes Booth.

  • The Navy Yard was ordered burned as the British marched on Washington during the War of 1812 to prevent its capture.

  • Weapons designed and built at the yard were used in every U.S. war until the 1960s.

 

An arial shot of the yard from 1991:

 

A torpedo shop at the yard during World War One:

 

(Library of Congress)

 

 

And a shot from between 1861-1865:

The Washington Navy Yard photographed between 1861 and 1865. (Library of Congress)

 

A map of the area:


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