Police Officer Dies Following Attack Outside Pentagon

Police are looking at a scene and items are seen on the ground near a Metrobus outside the Pentagon Metro area, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021 at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

A Pentagon police officer has died after a shooting incident outside the Defense Department headquarters. Officials said the attack happened Tuesday morning on a Metrobus platform.

According to reports, the officer was ambushed by the suspect and stabbed in the neck. The suspect was shot dead during the incident.

The Pentagon was temporarily placed on lockdown and the public was ordered to stay away from the area. During a Defense Department briefing, authorities said the investigation was ongoing, with the FBI leading the investigation.

Chief of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency Woodrow Kusse gave remarks as to the status of the incident during the briefing.

“The incident is over,” he stated. “The scene is secure and most importantly, there’s not continuing threat to our community.”

Kusse responded to the question regarding the Pentagon Metro entrance, which asked if “additional force protection measures” would be necessary due to the incident. He said there were a number of measures in place already, but they would be reevaluated.

“We will certainly, as this investigation concludes, take another look at any measures,” he explained. “Our mission is to protect not just the building, but the community we serve that transits through that station.”

The Pentagon Force Protection Agency confirmed the officer’s death in a tweet later in the day. The agency said “our thoughts and prayers are with the officer’s family.” Additional details on the officer have not yet been released.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered flags on the Pentagon reservation to be flown at half-staff “in honor of his loss.”