NCIS probes incident behind base lockdown

Reports of an active shooter threat on base led the base to go into lockdown status at Feb. 22.

Naval Criminal Investigative Service is investigating an incident that led to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island going into lockdown for around two hours Wednesday afternoon.

Reports of an active shooter threat on base led the base to go into lockdown status at 4:25 p.m. Feb. 22.

Skagit Valley College’s Whidbey campus, Crescent Harbor Elementary School and the Hand-in-Hand/HomeConnection Early Learning Center also went into lockdown. Oak Harbor School District communications officer Sarah Foy said there were no students in the latter two locations at the time of the lockdown, only a small number of staff.

Base security responded to the location and cleared all locations and found no threat. The base announced shortly after 6:30 p.m. that the lockdown on base was lifted and normal operations resumed.

Oak Harbor Police and Naval Criminal Investigative Service also responded to the incident.