No active threat found after elementary school evacuation at Camp Humphreys

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — Students were evacuated from an elementary school on America’s largest overseas military base Wednesday due to a “reported security incident,” but responders later determined there was no active threat, an Army spokesman said.

Emergency personnel responded to Humphreys Central Elementary School around 12:40 p.m., base spokesman Jeff Nagan told Stars and Stripes by phone Wednesday. They determined shortly after 3 p.m. that there was no threat, he said.

Nagan declined to disclose the nature of the incident, which remains under investigation.

“Our emergency responders followed their protocols and the necessary requirements to ensure that the incident was handled appropriately,” he said.

The installation issued an emergency alert at 1:11 p.m. describing a “potential security incident” and saying students had been evacuated to Four Chaplains Memorial Chapel as a precaution.

Student transportation for the elementary school was relocated to Humphreys High School during the response, according to the alert.

The main road leading to the elementary school was temporarily closed between the high school and Duke Memorial Library until the security response concluded.

“The safety and security of the Camp Humphreys community remains our top priority,” Nagan said. “We thank our emergency responders, families, personnel and partners for their cooperation during this incident.”

Camp Humphreys, about 40 miles south of Seoul, is home to U.S. Forces Korea, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, Eighth Army and the 2nd Infantry Division.