Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is investigating after a false alarm about an active shooter was sent to VA hospitals nationwide.
Daniel Henry is a spokesman for the Hampton VA Medical Center in Virginia. He says the alert was sent inadvertently from Hampton on Tuesday during training on a new emergency notification system, and reached about 23,000 employees at hospitals nationwide.
He said Wednesday that officials haven’t determined whether the mistake was due to human error or an equipment glitch.
Henry said it was quickly discovered, and employees were notified. He said the alert “caused some anxiety” at the Hampton hospital, where staffers sheltered in place for about 10 minutes.
In Richmond, police responded to the alert but were told upon arrival that it was a false alarm.
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