(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) Arlington National Cemetery was closed for most of the day today due to a bomb threat.
The cemetery said on social media Friday morning that the threat is being investigated.
“The cemetery’s response teams and local law enforcement partners are on site investigating the threat,” ANC said. “The public is requested to avoid the area and wait for updates posted to our social media platforms.”
An Arlington County police K-9 unit was dispatched to the cemetery around 8:40 a.m. for what was described as a threat received via email.
Bomb scare at Arlington Cemetery see funerals cancelled and hearses stuck waiting outside. Area still closed. pic.twitter.com/0ZilTkSXww
— Andrew Leyden (@PenguinSix) September 8, 2023
Officials said shortly after 3 p.m. that no threat was found but the cemetery remains closed except for funerals.
More from a press release:
Arlington National Cemetery officials and Joint Base Myer Henderson-Hall emergency services responded to a bomb threat early this morning. The cemetery closed to the public and funeral services scheduled this morning were postponed. The cemetery’s response teams and local law enforcement partners spent the morning on site investigating the threat. Nothing suspicious was found, and law enforcement safely cleared all areas.
The cemetery will remain closed for the remainder of the day to visitors and family pass holders. We are focusing our efforts now on working with families to ensure that funerals scheduled earlier this morning and this afternoon will be conducted later today.
Arlington National Cemetery’s commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for our visitors, families and employees guided our actions this morning.
“Every threat to Arlington National Cemetery is taken seriously. I want to thank our visitors and family members for their patience and understanding, and an extensive team of our law enforcement partners across the National Capital Region for their swift and thorough response. We will spend the remainder of the day focused on our mission of laying our service members and their loved ones to rest,” said Army National Military Cemeteries and Office of Army Cemeteries Executive Director Karen Durham-Aguilera.
For additional information please contact: 703-614-0024 and follow Arlington National
Cemetery on our social media platforms @ArlingtonNatl and this website.
2/2 The cemetery's response teams and local law enforcement partners are on site investigating the threat. The public is requested to avoid the area and wait for updates posted to our social media platforms.
— Arlington National Cemetery (@ArlingtonNatl) September 8, 2023