Security guards fire shots at a person outside CIA headquarters in Virginia — No fatalities reported

In the early hours of Thursday morning, security personnel at the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) headquarters in Langley, Virginia, discharged their weapons at an individual outside the main gate, according to multiple media reports. The incident, which occurred at approximately 4 am local time (0800 GMT), did not result in any fatalities, NBC News reported quoting officials.

The CIA has refrained from confirming the shooting outright but acknowledged a “security incident” that prompted a law enforcement response outside its Langley compound.

A spokesperson for the Fairfax County Police Department corroborated the timing of the event to ABC News, confirming that officers were dispatched to the scene in the early morning hours.

Following the incident, the CIA announced via its official X (formerly Twitter) account that the main gate to the Langley facility had been temporarily closed. Employees were advised to use alternative entrances and routes while security protocols were reviewed and reinforced.

CIA has not released further details regarding the identity of the individual involved or the circumstances leading to the shooting.

This episode comes just a day after a tragic shooting in downtown Washington, DC, where two staff members of the Israeli embassy were fatally shot by a lone gunman.

Authorities have indicated there is no known connection between the two incidents, though heightened security measures have been observed across multiple sensitive locations in the capital region.

The CIA headquarters has been the target of several security breaches and attacks over the years. Notably, in 1993, a man armed with a firearm attempted to breach the facility but was apprehended before causing harm.

More recently, in 2015, a drone was detected flying near the compound, prompting a temporary lockdown and an extensive investigation into potential threats.

On March 19 this year, a man had brandished a handgun and made threats outside the CIA facility in McLean, Virginia. The situation escalated into an hours-long standoff with heavily armed police, SWAT teams, and bomb squad units responding to the scene.

After several hours of negotiations, the suspect peacefully surrendered to Fairfax County police negotiators without any shots being fired or injuries reported.