Daily Times

FORT MEADE: Several people were injured on Wednesday when an unauthorised motorist tried to drive onto the campus of the US National Security Agency near Washington, prompting guards to open fire on the vehicle, officials said.

The motorist, who was not identified, drove a black sport utility vehicle to a gate of the secretive government body in Fort Meade, Maryland, at about 7a.m. EST (1200 GMT).

Armed guards typically secure the gate and the NSA said in a statement that shots were fired during the incident, although it did not say who was injured in the incident.

The vehicle had what appeared to be bullet holes in its windshield and extensive front-end damage after crashing into a concrete traffic barrier, according to a video of the scene.

The incident did not appear to be linked to terrorism, said an official in the United States government who was familiar with the investigation.

“A vehicle attempted to enter the NSA’s secure campus in Fort Meade, Maryland, without authorisation,” the agency said in a statement. “Weapons were discharged in the course of the incident, which remains under investigation.”

Published in Daily Times, February 15^th 2018.