Arlington National Cemetery was closed most of Friday after a bomb threat was reported on the premises.
2/2 The cemetery's response teams and local law enforcement partners are on site investigating the threat. The public is requested to avoid the area and wait for updates posted to our social media platforms.
— Arlington National Cemetery (@ArlingtonNatl) September 8, 2023
After hours of lockdown, officials gave an update. Nothing was found after all areas were safely cleared.
"Arlington National Cemetery officials and Joint Base Myer Henderson-Hall emergency services responded to a bomb threat early this morning. The cemetery closed to the public and funeral services scheduled this morning were postponed. The cemetery's response teams and local law enforcement partners spent the morning on site investigating the threat. Nothing suspicious was found, and law enforcement safely cleared all areas," the Army National Military Cemeteries and Office of Army Cemeteries released in a statement. "The cemetery will remain closed for the remainder of the day to visitors and family pass holders. We are focusing our efforts now on working with families to ensure that funerals scheduled earlier this morning and this afternoon will be conducted later today."
🟢 Nothing suspicious was found. Law enforcement safely cleared all areas.
— Arlington National Cemetery (@ArlingtonNatl) September 8, 2023
ANC will remain closed for the rest of the day to all visitors. We're working with families to ensure that funerals scheduled earlier will be conducted later today.
Full update: https://t.co/rk2nqqhL9E https://t.co/rNwY3PePla
“Every threat to Arlington National Cemetery is taken seriously. I want to thank our visitors and family members for their patience and understanding, and an extensive team of our law enforcement partners across the National Capital Region for their swift and thorough response. We will spend the remainder of the day focused on our mission of laying our service members and their loved ones to rest,” Executive Director Karen Durham-Aguilera added.
The grounds reopened in regular order to the public on Saturday.
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