Shelter in place given due to possible active shooter situation at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Marshall Space Flight Center sent an alert at 10:00 AM Tuesday warning that a “situation exists near the Sparkman Center, RSA bldg. 5301.” A second message sent at 10:30 AM reads: “An active shooter has been reported at the RSA Sparkman Center. Personnel in this area take protective action now. This is not a drill.”
All the gates to the Arsenal have been closed. The Redstone Arsenal Twitter account tweeted: ‘Possible active shooter on the Arsenal. Installation is locked down. Run hide fight.”
The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command had an active shooter drill planned for tomorrow, officials told WBTV the current situation is not part of the drill. More than 35,000 people work at the 30,000 acre Redstone Arsenal. The Arsenal is host to the US Materiel Command, the Army’s Aviation and Missile Command, the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency, and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
While Redstone Arsenal spokesperson Christopher Colster said the exact location of the incident has not been determined, although people inside Redstone say it is in the Sparkman Center.
There is no word on any injuries or casualties at this time.
About the Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal (RSA) is a United States Army post and a census-designated place (CDP) adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The Arsenal is a garrison for a number of tenants including the United States Army Materiel Command, Army’s Aviation and Missile Command, the Missile Defense Agency of the Department of Defense, and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Many of these units are moving due to decisions by the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The Redstone Arsenal CDP had a population of 1,946 as of the 2010 census. The base contains a government and contractor workforce that averages 36,000 to 40,000 personnel daily.
Originally a chemical weapons manufacturing facility for World War II, in the immediate post-war era it became home to the German rocket scientists that were brought to the US as part of Operation Paperclip. The team first worked on ballistic missiles, starting withV-2 rocket derivatives before moving on to a series of ever larger designs. Many of their tests were carried out at White Sands Missile Range and flights between the two locations were common. In late 1956 the Army was relieved of most of its ballistic missiles in favor of similar weapons operated by the US Air Force. The German design team was then spun off to become part of the newly foundedNASA. Redstone served as the primary site for space launch vehicle design into the 1960s.
Where Is Redstone Arsenal?
The Redstone Arsenal is located at 5298 Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
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