A Navy civilian charged with staging a false active shooter alert at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey is accused of carrying out the hoax in an attempt to bond with her colleagues, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday.
Lockdown Triggered by False Claim
The incident began Tuesday morning when Malika Brittingham, a civilian employee of the U.S. Department of the Navy, allegedly texted an individual claiming she heard five to six gunshots and was hiding with coworkers in a closet. Believing her account, the recipient contacted the Base Defense Operations Center and 911.
Within minutes, the base issued an emergency notification and entered lockdown. Roughly an hour later, the lockdown was lifted after authorities confirmed there was no active shooter.
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Investigation Exposes Hoax
According to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, Brittingham initially told investigators she only sent the message after receiving the emergency alert. However, the timeline of calls and notifications contradicted her account.
Confronted with the evidence, Brittingham admitted she fabricated the story. She told authorities she felt ostracized by coworkers and hoped that enduring a shared traumatic experience would allow them to “trauma bond.”
Federal Response
Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, condemned the alleged hoax, calling it a reckless act that endangered trust and created unnecessary fear.
“This kind of senseless fear-mongering and disruption will not be tolerated in my state,” Habba said in a statement on X. “After everything this country has gone through, especially in light of current events, I will be sure to bring down the hammer of the law for anyone found guilty of creating unnecessary panic and undermining public trust.”
Next Steps
Brittingham faces charges for falsely reporting an active shooter, a crime that carries serious legal consequences. It was not immediately clear if she had secured legal representation.
