Civilian Employee Created False Active Shooter Alert at Military Base to "Trauma Bond" with Colleagues

A civilian employee at New Jersey's largest military installation created a false active shooter alert in an attempt to form closer relationships with her colleagues through a shared traumatic experience, federal prosecutors have revealed.

Malika Brittingham, who works for the Naval Air Warfare Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, has been charged with deliberately conveying false information regarding a non-existent active shooter, according to the federal criminal complaint.

Authorities took Brittingham into custody on Tuesday afternoon. As of Wednesday, no contact information for her was available, and it remained unclear whether she had secured legal representation.

The military base implemented lockdown protocols shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday. According to the criminal complaint, around 10:15 a.m., Brittingham allegedly sent a text message claiming there was an active shooter on the base, stating she had heard five or six gunshots and was hiding in a closet with coworkers.

The recipient of Brittingham's message promptly contacted both the base operations center and emergency services, relaying the information provided by Brittingham. This triggered the lockdown, which lasted approximately one hour until officials determined there was no actual threat.

Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba expressed strong disapproval on social media, stating, "This kind of senseless fear-mongering and disruption will not be tolerated in my state. After everything this country has gone through, especially in light of current events, I will be sure to bring down the hammer of the law for anyone found guilty of creating unnecessary panic and undermining public trust."

During the investigation, Brittingham reportedly told investigators that she orchestrated the hoax because she felt "ostracized by her co-workers and hoped that their shared experience in response to an active shooter would allow them to 'trauma bond,'" according to the complaint.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst covers 42,000 acres (17,000 hectares) and integrates Air Force, Army, and Navy operations with a community of more than 42,000 service members, family members, and civilian employees.

The false alarm occurred simultaneously with a significant gathering of U.S. military leadership at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had convened commanders from around the world to announce the Trump administration's intention to eliminate "woke" culture in the armed forces, among other priorities.