Archive · 1 Oct 2025
Woman's Hoax Gunfire Report: Motivation to Bond with Co-workers
Someone called in a fake report of a shooter at a military base, causing everyone to go into lockdown.
The person who made the call was a civilian employee who wanted to become closer to her coworkers by going through a stressful situation together.
After a search, it was found there was no real threat, and normal activities resumed.
The woman now faces legal charges for the false report and causing unnecessary panic and disruption.
A civilian employee at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst created a false report of an active shooter.
The false report caused the base to initiate a lockdown Tuesday morning.
Malika Brittingham allegedly texted someone about a shooter and shots fired.
Brittingham said she wanted to 'trauma bond' with coworkers through a shared experience.
Federal prosecutors have filed charges against Brittingham for knowingly conveying false information.
- Who
- Malika Brittingham and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst personnel
- What
- False report of an active shooter
- When
- Tuesday morning
- Where
- Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
- Why
- To bond with coworkers by creating a shared traumatic experience
- Location
- Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
- Incident
- False active shooter report
- Perpetrator
- Malika Brittingham
- Motive
- To 'trauma bond' with colleagues
- Charges
- Knowingly conveying false information
- Base Personnel
- Over 42,000 service members, relatives, and civilian employees
