Former midshipman charged for alleged threat after U.S. Naval Academy placed on lockdown

An Indiana man has been arrested for allegedly making a social media threat to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, which led to a campus lockdown last week, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Jackson Fleming, 23, of Chesterton, Indiana, was arrested Sept 12 on suspicion of sending an online threat through a social media application, the FBI said. Jackson is a former midshipman, according to the Naval Academy. He attended the academy from June 2021 until Jan. 2024. 

Fleming is charged with making a threat across state lines in connection with the incident.

He made his initial appearance in Indiana on Sept. 15. 

Midshipman injured during lockdown

Around 5 p.m. on Sept. 11, Naval Support Activity Annapolis (NSAA) and local law enforcement responded to reports of a security concern on campus, and the campus was placed on lockdown.

While law enforcement worked to clear the building, a midshipman was shot in the shoulder and taken to the hospital, Naval Academy officials said last week.

"A security officer was going through room by room, and that's when the incident occurred, but again, non-fatal, going to make a full recovery," Rep. Sara Elfreth, who represents Annapolis, told WJZ.

The midshipman has since been released.

A member of the Naval Security Force also suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from a hospital, officials said. The nature of those injuries is unclear. 

The threat was determined to be unfounded, and the lockdown was cleared overnight, according to officials.