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FBI Rules Out Terrorism in Gate-Ramming at Ft. Meade; 1 Dead

National Security Agency police opened fire Monday on a black SUV that tried to enter a gate at Fort Meade, Maryland.

FILE PHOTO  NSA Compiles Massive Database Of Private Phone Calls
FILE PHOTO NSA Compiles Massive Database Of Private Phone Calls
FT. MEADE, MD - UNDATED: (FILE PHOTO) This undated photo provided by the National Security Agency (NSA) shows its headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland. The NSA has been secretly collecting the phone call records of millions of Americans, using data provided by telecom firms AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, the newspaper USA Today reported on May 11, 2006. (Photo by NSA via Getty Images)

National Security Agency police shot and killed one man Monday, and wounded another, who were in a black SUV that tried to ram the main gate to the spy headquarters at Fort Meade, Maryland, officials said.

National Security Agency police shot and killed one man Monday, and wounded another, who were in a black SUV that tried to ram the main gate to the spy headquarters at Fort Meade, Maryland, officials said.

CBS News reported the men were dressed as women, and that cocaine and a weapon were found on the scene. Aerial photos of the gate show two damaged SUVs, one black one and one belonging to the NSA police.

The FBI is helping the investigation, and its office in Baltimore said it does not believe the incident is related to terrorism. NSA police and other law enforcement agencies are also involved in the probe.

“FBI Baltimore is investigating a shooting incident which occurred this morning at a gate at the National Security Agency at Fort Meade just off I-295 in Anne Arundel County, MD,” an FBI spokeswoman said in a statement.

“We are working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland to determine if federal charges are warranted,” the FBI spokeswoman said.

Ft. Meade is home to the NSA, as well as U.S. Cyber Command and several other federal agencies. According to the base’s website, 11,000 military personnel along with about 29,000 civilian employees work there. It is Maryland’s largest employer.

Photo by NSA via Getty Images

Kate Brannen is deputy managing editor at Just Security and a contributor to Foreign Policy, where she previously worked as a senior reporter. Twitter: @K8brannen

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