ANNAPOLIS, Md. – A former Naval Academy midshipman is facing federal charges stemming from a threat that triggered a lockdown of the Annapolis campus last week and contributed to a shooting incident involving security personnel and another midshipman.
Jackson Elliott Fleming, 23, of Chesterton, Indiana, was arrested Sunday and charged with transmitting a threat across state lines, specifically “any threat to kidnap any person or threat to injure the person of another,” according to court documents. The incident began september 11 when the naval Academy initiated a lockdown following a concerning post on the Jodel app, attributed to a former midshipman-now identified as Fleming. The threat prompted a heightened security response that ultimately led to a midshipman being shot and wounded. This case highlights the potential for online interaction to rapidly escalate into real-world security concerns, notably within sensitive environments like military installations, and underscores the serious consequences for making false threats.
Authorities believe Fleming’s post initiated the chain of events. During the lockdown, a midshipman mistakenly perceived security forces as an active shooter, fueled by misinformation circulating that a potential shooter might be disguised as law enforcement. This midshipman then struck a security officer with a parade rifle, resulting in security personnel firing back and wounding the midshipman in the arm.
The wounded midshipman has since been released from the hospital. Fleming faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana. The inquiry remains ongoing.