1 Dead, 1 Hurt at U.S. Spy Agency after Trying to Ram Gate

One person was killed and another injured at the headquarters of the U.S. National Security Agency outside Washington on Monday when they tried to ram their vehicle through an entrance, officials said.

An FBI spokeswoman said the incident at Fort Meade, the super-secure base in suburban Maryland that houses the intelligence agency, was not believed to be "related to terrorism."

"One person was killed and another injured when they attempted to drive a vehicle into the National Security Agency portion of the installation without authorization," the base said in a statement.

"NSA security personnel prevented them from gaining access to the installation."

Video footage showed a crash-damaged police vehicle and a civilian vehicle outside a main gate, and an injured person being transferred to an ambulance. 

The FBI said it has opened an investigation, joining other law enforcement agencies and deploying agents to the scene to gather evidence and interview witnesses.

"The shooting scene is contained and we do not believe it is related to terrorism," said Amy Thoreson, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Baltimore office.

"We are working with the U.S. attorney's office in Maryland to determine if federal charges are warranted," she said.

About 11,000 military personnel and 29,000 civilians work at Fort Meade, which also houses the headquarters of the U.S. Cyber Command and other military units, according to its website.

Fort Meade said all personnel and residents on the base were safe.

President Barack Obama was briefed on the incident, said White House spokesman Eric Schultz, referring reporters to the NSA for details.

The NSA, which specializes in codebreaking and electronic surveillance, has been the focus of intense controversy since former contractor Edward Snowden revealed the global scope of its electronic eavesdropping, starting in June 2013.