The city of Chattanooga, TN was met with an active shooter situation at two military centers this morning – Amnicola Highway Naval Reserve Center and Lee Highway Military Recruiting Office. The event is currently in progress, but according to several media outlets, the actual active shooter situation is over, meaning the shooter is dead.
According to a live broadcast interview with a witness by ABCnews.go.com, a silver Ford Mustang convertible pulled up in front of the Lee Highway Military Recruiting Center with a Caucasian male inside. The man unloaded several rounds into the building. The shooter then drove about 2 miles to Anmicola Highway Naval Reserve Center where he had a confrontation with police. One officer was shot in the ankle and is currently in the hospital in stable condition. The police officer’s family has recently been escorted to the hospital.
Marines were also present at both locations in which it has been reported that four of them were shot. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, released at 2:14pm, four military personnel were killed in the Chattanooga active shooting.
All shooting victims were killed at the Lee Highway Military Recruiting Office. Including the police officer, two other victims were shot and are being treated.
In response, area businesses, the community college and hospital ERs were on lockdown.
As of now, it is believed to be a lone wolf situation; however, the investigators are seeking the shooter’s motivation, if he/she was connected to a terrorist group and if he/she left anyone behind to take over his/her reign of destruction.
Notes from the Live Press Conference – 2:00 pm CST, Chattanooga, TN
Mayor Andy Berke – “Around 11am, someone viciously attacked at two locations people who proudly served our country. It is incomprehensible to see what happened and the way individuals who proudly served our country were treated. As a city, we will respond to this with every available resource that we can summit. This is a nightmare to the city of Chattanooga.”
Police Chief – “We know somebody brutally and brazenly attacked. I am very proud of the timely and courageous response to the situation by everyone.”
An FBI officer said that the shooter was armed with numerous weapons but he did not believe the shooter was wearing body armor. He also said that the shooting spree lasted about 30 minutes and that the shooter did not work at the facilities in which he targeted.
It has NOT been determined if this was an act of terrorism or a criminal act, but the situation is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism.
Image: Militarist / Shutterstock.com