A man drove a black SUV to the main gate of Naval Base Kitsap Bangor on Thursday and told security he was wearing one bomb and had another in his vehicle.
But as of 4:30 p.m., more than seven hours after the man drove up to the Trident vehicle inspection gate at Bangor, no explosive devices had been found, according to Naval Base Kitsap commanding officer Capt. Alan Schrader.
"We have not found any explosive device to this point, but we have not completed the investigation," Schrader said Thursday afternoon. Schrader later noted that the vehicle is the "long part" of an investigation "that is still in progress."
The man is in custody of the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office. Further information about him -- including his name, age, hometown, and what charges may be filed against him -- was not immediately available.
According to information provided by the base, he attempted to drive the SUV onto Bangor at 9 a.m. Thursday. When contacted by security, he told them he was wearing an explosive device and had another in his car.
All gates at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor were closed. The Trigger gate was opened at 2:30 p.m., but the Trident gate remains closed later Thursday afternoon. Gates at Keyport and one gate at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton were closed before normal operations resumed.
A bomb squad was called to inspect the vehicle and packages inside.
"The size of the package in the vehicle was estimated to potentially have a large blast radius," Washington State Patrol Lt. Robert Brazas said.
People near Trident gate and within a 3,200-foot perimeter of the base were asked to take safety precautions.
Authorities established a security boundary, including areas west of Highway 3, east of Clear Creek Road, north of Mountain View Road and south of NW Peterson Road.
People in that area were asked to shelter in place or evacuate until further notice, according to a statement from the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office.
If residents choose to evacuate, "don't return until the all clear is sent," said Kitsap County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Deputy Scott Wilson.
UPDATE: A man drove on the base and claimed to have explosive devices. He is in custody.Naval Base Kitsap Bangor and Keyport gates closed due to ongoing security issue >> kng5.tv/NavalBaseSecurityissue
