A car that was intercepted near the security gate of the National Security Agency's headquarters at Fort Meade, Md., was fired upon Monday morning, in a clash that left one of the car's occupants dead.
Authorities tell NPR's Dina Temple-Raston that after two suspects tried to ram a vehicle into the entrance gate, one suspect was shot dead and the other was injured by NSA security guards.
The violence took place in Anne Arundel County, where officials say the investigation is being handled by NSA police. Fort Meade lies between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Md.
Aerial photos from the scene show two damaged vehicles — a police SUV and a Ford Escape — sitting in a small intersection near the NSA gates. Around them, the asphalt is littered with debris.
Washington D.C.'s NBC 4 News says the suspects are men who disguised themselves as women — details that law enforcement officials later confirmed.
#BREAKINGNEWS officer involved crash/shooting #FortMeade appears at least one fatality #breaking pic.twitter.com/tBqM5ZOZjL
— Brad Freitas (@Chopper4Brad) March 30, 2015
The station adds, "At least one gun and drugs were found in the stolen Ford Escape the men were riding in."
Update at 1:15 p.m. ET: FBI Statement On Possible Charges
The FBI says:
"The shooting scene is contained, and we do not believe it is related to terrorism. We are investigating with NSA Police and other law enforcement agencies. Our Evidence Response Team is processing the crime scene, and FBI special agents are doing joint interviews with witnesses. We are working with the US Attorney's Office in Maryland to determine if federal charges are warranted."
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