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GM Milford Proving Grounds Lockdown Prompted By Fake Firearm

The GM Milford Proving Ground in Michigan was forced into lockdown this morning following a false alarm over an active shooter incident.

According to The Detroit Free Press, two buildings located on the grounds of GM’s main engineering and development facility were put into lockdown early Friday morning. GM engineers were apparently in possession of fake firearms to aid in the development of a police pursuit vehicle of some type and were spotted by an unknowing, concerned civilian, who called police to report an active shooter had entered the building. A large law enforcement presence was later spotted at the GM Milford Proving Ground.

The GM Milford Proving Ground re-opened after police determined there was no real ongoing threat.

“There was a workplace situation earlier today,” Maria Raynal, a GM spokeswoman, explained to The Detroit Free Press. “Police responded accordingly. All employees are safe. Work has resumed at the campus.”

Milford Proving Ground aerial map

A person familiar with GM’s vehicle programs told the Free Press the fake firearms are used as part of the validation process for its police vehicle programs. While specifics were not provided to the newspaper, it seems likely engineers use the fake firearms to ensure there is enough space in different parts of the vehicle to properly store certain firearms.

This marks the second headline-generating incident that occurred at the Milford Proving Ground in the past month or so after a vehicle caught fire in one of the engineering labs at the facility last month. Firefighters from the municipalities of Brighton and Milford, Michigan responded and were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, which was largely extinguished by the building’s built-in sprinkler system by the time they arrived on the scene.

The GM Milford Proving Ground first opened in 1924 as the industry’s first dedicated automobile test facility, and now includes 4,800 staff and 142 buildings, as well as 132 miles of test roads.

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Sam loves to write and has a passion for auto racing, karting and performance driving of all types.

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Comments

  1. Did nobody think to ask the engineers what was going on? Or is firearms so taboo these days they had to be discreet to avoid hoopla like this from crazies.

    Reply
    1. The person who called 911 saw from a distance someone enter one of the buildings with one of the fake handguns drawn. Didn’t just see it laying around and was too far to see if it had orange tip. Can’t blame them for calling that one in based on that context, could have been someone going postal for all they could see.

      Reply
      1. In theory, inert/training guns should be all blue, but I don’t think most laypeople know what that means.

        Reply
  2. Still haven’t heard what kind of vehicle caught fire last month at Milford. One of Mary’s ‘Lectrics perhaps?

    Reply
    1. Rent free.

      Reply
      1. You’ve been exposed. This person goes by the username why are trump. Since he’s been called out numerous times by many users on here he has tried to hijack my username. Give it up nobody is falling for it.

        Reply
        1. The fact that we can’t have unique names -_-

          Reply
  3. What was the civilian doing within the proving grounds? Where was Milford Proving Ground Security?

    Looks like somebody was hunting for drama and disruption. A Chrysler or Ford spy maybe?

    Reply

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