Fort Cavazos officials were quick to clarify that there was no active-shooter situation on its grounds after a scare at the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area (BLORA). Despite the circulating fears, the base was not put on lockdown, and authorities have confirmed that there is no ongoing threat to the community following the incident on Saturday evening. As per CBS Austin, Fort Cavazos reassured residents in a release that the incident was isolated to the BLORA and is now under investigation.
Details about what transpired at BLORA were scant, but from the statement obtained by 25 ABC News, Chris Haug, Director of Public Affairs with Fort Cavazos, explained that an argument had gone bad. The altercation did not involve military or Department of Defense personnel; rather, individuals were utilizing the recreation area. Haug continued to describe that someone at the Emergency Operations Center "pushed a button," leading to the widespread alarm, with officials now looking into the cause of this error. They "can't deny that the message went out," Haug told 25 ABC News.
The response on Saturday saw the Bell County Sheriff's Office assist Fort Cavazos Military Police, confirming the heightened law enforcement activity in the area. The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division had since taken over the review of the incident, promising a thorough probe into the events that led to the false alarm. The incident, having roused significant attention, is being taken seriously by the authorities.
Meanwhile, Fort Cavazos urges the public to maintain a distance from the BLORA as the enquiry progresses. Officials seek to fully understand and subsequently communicate the circumstances that almost turned a recreational zone into a theater of confusion and fear. The information released by both CBS Austin and 25 ABC News assures the community that despite the swift escalation of events, all is now secure, and investigators are actively working to ensure such false alarms do not to unfoundedly recur in the future.
