Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Lockdown
Active Shooter Reports Spark Panic Near Lakewood, NJ
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey near Lakewood is under lockdown. All base personnel are ordered to seek shelter immediately due to reports of a shooting.
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL), a sprawling U.S. military installation spanning Burlington and Ocean counties in New Jersey, about 12 miles from the Orthodox Jewish enclave of Lakewood, has been placed under full lockdown, with all personnel ordered to "seek shelter immediately" due to unconfirmed reports of an active shooter.
The base, which houses Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine operations across 42,000 acres, issued the alert via official channels, directing those outdoors to "take cover" and locking down Building 5231 specifically. No injuries have been reported, and details on the threat remain scarce as investigations unfold.
Social media buzz has centered on the base's role as a major logistics hub (home to the 87th Air Base Wing and units supporting global deployments), with users expressing concern over potential impacts on nearby communities like Lakewood, a hub for yeshivas and Hasidic residents.This isn't the first scare at JBMDL.
A similar active shooter report in October 2023 led to a 45-minute lockdown, later deemed unfounded after a thorough sweep confirmed no threat.
That incident, which also referenced Building 5231, ended with an all-clear around 3:42 PM, and officials emphasized the base's safety protocols.
Today's event mirrors that pattern: Rapid response with no confirmed casualties, but heightened anxiety given the base's history and current national tensions.Local authorities, including Burlington County Sheriff's Office and New Jersey State Police, are on scene, with roads around the base (including portions of Route 70) potentially affected.
The FBI has not yet commented, but federal protocols for military installations mandate immediate shelter-in-place during such alerts.
UPDATE: The earlier lockdown was triggered by a false active shooter report and it has been lifted. The lockdown lasted about an hour and no threat was found.
Col. Michael Stefanovic stated: “Our priority is the safety and security of everyone on the installation. Situation resolved quickly with local law enforcement.”