Shelter-in-place panic after Navy employee lies about gunfire at NJ base, officials say

🚨Navy civilian accused of faking an active shooter threat at Joint Base MDL

🚨Malika Brittingham charged with false report of gunfire at a federal facility

🚨Shelter-in-place lifted after investigation found no gunshots fired

A U.S. Navy civilian worker made up a story about an active shooter at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on Tuesday, which created a shelter-in-place order to be issued.

A complaint and affidavit obtained by several media outlets say Malika Brittingham sent the text stating she heard several gunshots and was hiding in a closet to a person identified as “Individual 1" around 10:15 a.m. This person called 911 and the Base Defense Operations Center, which triggered the shelter-in-place order for the base around 11 a.m.

Brittingham told investigators she felt “ostracized” by her co-workers and thought that they would “trauma bond” since they dealt with the situation together. She was charged with knowingly conveying false and misleading information related to the use of firearms at a federal facility, according to the complaint.

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U.S. Attorney vows harsh consequences

U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba confirmed the arrest on her X account.

“After everything this country has gone through, especially in light of current events, I will be sure to bring down the hammer of the law for anyone found guilty of creating unnecessary panic and undermining public trust,” Habba said.

Brittingham works for the Naval Air Warfare Center in Maryland but is assigned to the Joint Base.

The shelter-in-place order was lifted by noon. Base commander Col. Michael Stefanovic said the order was lifted after an investigation into reports of an active shooter.

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