News 12 @ 11 o'clock / Wednesday, March 30, 2016

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW) -- Last Thursday Fort Gordon had a planned active shooter drill, but when someone called 911 that drill turned into reality. It left soldiers, and civilians, hiding for hours and fearing for their lives, as well as for their loved ones.

People who work at Fort Gordon, soldier or civilian, are trained to be prepared. But many were not ready for the situation last week.

This woman works on post, she did not want to be identified because of her job. "There were in this particular case mistakes made," the employee said.

That part is clear. Notice of an active shooter drill on post had been out for at least a week. But when the drill got underway, someone called 911 reporting a real shooter, and what was supposed to be a drill escalated into a real life scenario. "I guess I thought at first that is ridiculous, what do you mean it's real world it's just a run through," she said.

She was in Darling Hall at the time. The same place officials reported two active shooters were holding hostages. At this point she tells us they had already been hiding in a small, dark room for well over an hour. "I can't really describe what that felt like because we went from thinking we were in a training to feeling like we were in the line of fire," the employee told us.

The danger started to feel more real with every passing minute. "The next thing we know we hear shots. Someone rattles on our office door and we hear three shots," she said.

And that's when things could have been deadly. She explains that they have been through active shooter training before. And if you can't get out or hide, then they are trained to fight. "By all means necessary, try to stop whoever is attacking. I saw people and I heard people afterwards who were ready to do that. And then those poor soldiers would have had to live with the fact that they killed someone who was just doing what they were told to do," the employee said.

Meanwhile, loved ones on the outside were panicked too. "Five minutes have gone by and I didn't get a text from you and the last text was that you heard gunshots," she said.

Some even sent goodbyes to family. "I hate to say that it was traumatic but it was traumatic," she told us.

Nearly three hours after the drill started, the trauma came to an end. Employees came out and say they found actors with fake blood and rubber bullets. "I just felt like such a fool for thinking that it was real," she said.

Even harder they say, no apology, or even acknowledgment. Which leaves employees feeling like they're still left in the dark. "It was an exercise for some people but for those of us living it it was a traumatic experience," the employee said.

That employee told me they feel betrayed. Not knowing the extent of the drill, and then being left in the dark for so long was scarring. Not just for those people hiding there, but for their families.

The silver lining they say is that now communication between Richmond and Columbia Counties and Fort Gordon has begun to try and prevent something like this from happening again.

UPDATE: 9:26 PM

AUGUSTA, Ga.-- (WRDW) -- Augusta City Administrator calling for plan to 'solidify communications' between Fort Gordon, Columbia County, and Richmond County.

Janice Allen Jackson sent an e-mail to the mayor, commissioners, fire chief, Sheriff's Office, and other city officials after an active shooter drill on post took a turn when someone thought it was real, and called 911.

Her e-mail reads:

"All,

I am sure by now everyone has heard of the incident at Fort Gordon today. We have attached the statement issued by the Fort which we located on their Facebook page.

It appears there was confusion among Fort Gordon personnel about the training exercise, and that Columbia County EMA issued erroneous information regarding this being an active shooter. We are reviewing all emergency communication to RCSO, 911 and EMA to determine what information was provided to Richmond County and when.

This incident calls to our attention the need to solidify communications plans between the Fort, Columbia County, and ourselves. Our EMA will take the lead in ensuring that such a planning process begins."

Thursday, March 24, 2016 | 7:00 p.m. EST

FORT GORDON, Ga. (WRDW) -- Richmond and Columbia Counties knew about an active shooter exercise happening at Fort Gordon today.

Columbia County EMA posted a message on Twitter at 10:39 saying, "Active shooter exercise in progress at Fort Gordon! Fort Gordon is currently conducting an Active Shooter Exercise and at lockdown as part of the exercise. We will advise when the exercise is completed. THIS IS JUST A TRAINING EXERCISE!"

However, someone on Fort Gordon was less sure. In a news release, the Fort says someone on post called 9-1-1, setting off a chain reaction. Major Scott Peebles of the Richmond County Sheriff's Office says, "We had been notified that there was a drill on Fort Gordon. We started receiving third party information around 11:45 today that there may be an actual active shooter incident."

Peebles says they called Fort Gordon to check it out. "At that time they confirmed that they believed they did have an active shooter on the post and requested mutual aid from us," Peebles says.

Around the same time, Columbia County Emergency Services Director Pam Tucker says 9-1-1 called her office, saying there was an active shooter. Tucker says she argued with 9-1-1, saying it was only a drill, but they told her the situation was now real.

Because of that call, less than two hours after their original drill notification, Columbia County EMA posted another message at 12:17 saying, "True Active Shooter Situation at Fort Gordon!! There is a true active shooter situation at Fort Gordon with two active shooters. This occurred during the exercise. Richmond County is now assisting Fort Gordon. This is no longer an exercise. No other info available at this time."

Once they got to Fort Gordon, the Richmond County Sheriff's Office found out there was never an active shooter, but they say they had to respond the same way in case this one was the real deal. Peebles says, "They call, we go. If it's not an active shooter then we can figure all that out after we get there."

Thursday, March 24, 2016 | 1:30 p.m. EST

FORT GORDON, Ga. (WRDW) -- Fort Gordon officials sent out a release saying:

"A scheduled All Hazards Force Protection Exercise that focused on an active shooter scenario took place at Darling Hall at Fort Gordon March 24.

During the exercise an individual in the building reacted to an event unfolding in the scenario and called it into 911. Richmond County 911 received the call and appropriately treated it as a legitimate 911 call.

Because Fort Gordon officials were unable to definitively determine whether or not the 911 call was associated with the exercise, Fort Gordon officials took the report as a legitimate threat, cancelled the exercise and put the installation on lockdown. Law Enforcement personnel at the installation responded and cleared the building.

The building is no longer on lockdown. The investigation is complete. There was no real world active shooter on the installation and there were no injuries or casualties.

Media can contact the Public Affairs Office at 706-825-7901. More information to follow as it becomes available."

Thursday, March 24, 2016 | 1:00 p.m. EST

FORT GORDON, Ga. (WRDW) -- Fort Gordon officials say the lockdown has been lifted.

The announcement was made on their Facebook page.

The Richmond County Sheriff's office says they think someone(s) on post did not know about the planned drill today and called 911 during the exercise.

Thursday, March 24, 2016 | 12:28 p.m. EST

FORT GORDON, Ga. (WRDW) -- The Columbia County Sheriff's Office and Columbia County Emergency Services Division has confirmed the shooter situation on Fort Gordon was part of the planned exercise for today. There is no active shooter on post.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office said they have stood down by Fort Gordon after responding to the initial call about an active shooter on post.

Thursday, March 24, 2016 | 12:20 p.m. EST

FORT GORDON, Ga. (WRDW) -- According to Columbia County Emergency Services Division, there is a true active shooter situation at Fort Gordon with two active shooters.

This occurred during the exercise. Richmond County is now assisting Fort Gordon. This is no longer an exercise. No other info available at this time, Pam Tucker with Columbia County Emergency Services Division said.

Thursday, March 24, 2016 | 12:00 p.m. EST

FORT GORDON, Ga. (WRDW) -- Fort Gordon is currently on lockdown and the gates are closed pending an investigation of an alleged incident, according to Fort Gordon.

There is planned training on the post today, we are working to confirm if this is not part of the training. Fort Gordon said they have a major drill today and it is possible someone did not know about the drill, heard shooting and explosions, and thought there was an attack of some kind.

News 12 has a crew on the way. We will post more information as it becomes available.

