Ford plant in Kansas evacuated after armed ‘disgruntled employee’ hides in bathroom

Ford’s assembly plant in Kansas was evacuated on Tuesday (July 19) following reports that an active shooter had barricaded himself in the second-floor bathroom of the facility.

Reuters reported no deaths, injuries or damages from the scene even as the Clay County sheriff’s office warned people that police officials were entering the plant to find the source of the threat.

The emergency call that sounded alarm at the Ford facility

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At 5:20 PM local time, Ford’s safety and risk management team got a call from a man who reportedly claimed that he was armed with explosives, a rifle and a handgun. The man also claimed to have been barricaded in the second-floor bathroom in the paint area of the plant.

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This led the Ford management team to order the immediate evacuation of the assembly plant. All production lines were closed and the 7,250 employees who work at the plant were rushed to safety.

Reuters reported the United Auto Workers (UAW) union as saying that it was closely monitoring the situation.

In a statement, the union said, “It's our understanding that one individual is heavily armed inside the assembly plant, but swift action by union and plant leadership cleared the building."

Could be a ‘swatting prank call’

According to the statement by the union, there was heavy police deployment in the facility. It also informed that no workers were harmed as the events unfolded.

Meanwhile, police said it could possibly be a “swatting call” which triggered the evacuation and police action. People sometimes make swatting prank calls to trick emergency services into rushing police officials, most often a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.

Sarah Boyd, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s department, said, “The person who called claimed to be a disgruntled employee.”

Police blocked off the road on US 69 Highway as the investigation was ongoing. The sheriff’s department was asking people to avoid the area on Tuesday.

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