U.S. military aicraft take part in an elephant walk at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, in May 2025. (Nadine Barclay/U.S. Air Force)
An emergency alert warning of a “real world active shooter” locked down one of America’s largest overseas bases late Tuesday, prompting a response by law enforcement before officials said no threat was found.
The notification, sent through Kadena Air Base’s alert system, classified the incident as a high-severity safety event and ordered personnel to “LOCKDOWN LOCKDOWN LOCKDOWN.”
The alert identified the reported threat near Buildings 3515 and 3560 on Kadena’s north side and Building 3358 on the south side, directing all personnel to shelter in place.
In a follow-up statement, Kadena’s 18th Wing said emergency response personnel were dispatched around 10:58 p.m. after receiving reports of an active shooter during an ongoing wing-wide exercise. Base emergency protocols were immediately activated, and law enforcement responded to investigate.
The wing said no threat was substantiated. The lockdown was lifted and the installation resumed normal operations at 11:56 p.m.
“Our priority is always the safety and security of everyone on Kadena Air Base,” wing commander Brig. Gen. John Gallamore said in the statement. “The swiftness of identifying a potential threat, locking down the wing and verifying that the threat was unsubstantiated is a testament to our readiness and preparation as a team.”
The statement said no additional details were available.
AloJapan.com