Aaron Martinez, and Cindy Ramirez

El Paso Times

A color guard member returning a fake rifle to Fort Bliss caused a three-hour lockdown Friday at the El Paso VA clinic and William Beaumont Army Medical Center, officials said.

The incident started at about 11:55 a.m. when law enforcement officials received reports of a possible gunman near the first floor dining facility courtyard of the medical center adjacent to a bus stop, officials said.

According to William Beaumont Army Medical Center officials, the reports stated that a man wearing a tan-colored T-shirt and black shorts was carrying two soft rifle cases and ammo cans.

The medical center immediately initiated a “Code White,” which requires everybody in the area to shelter in place, officials said.

Fort Bliss military police, El Paso Police Department officers and several other law enforcement agencies began a search in the area for the suspect.

U.S. Border Patrol and Texas Department of Public Safety helicopters responded to the scene to help search for the suspect.

El Paso police closed off Fred Wilson Avenue from Dyer to Alabama streets.

Law enforcement “clearing teams” began evacuating people from the El Paso Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic at about 2:30 p.m., officials said. William Beaumont Army Medical Center officials said inpatients were not evacuated.

At about 3:30 p.m., Fort Bliss officials said the suspect was actually a member of the color guard returning a fake rifle to the post. Officials added that area was cleared and was a "nonevent."

The lockdown was then lifted and entry gates to the medical center were reopened. Fred Wilson also was reopened.

“Department of Emergency Services Personnel and law enforcement officials responded appropriately to ensure the safety and security of all,” Fort Bliss officials said in a statement. “However, following an investigation they determined the individual in question was returning military equipment used in ceremonies by members of post honor guards. The equipment included training aids better known as artificial rifles.”

Color guards present flags at ceremonial occasions, often including the national flag, state flag and the flag of the unit or institution they represent, among others.

A U.S. Army veteran getting treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder said he was inside the VA clinic at the time of the lockdown.

Trellis Day said officials told him that a possible gunman was in the area and that he and his doctor needed to remain in the doctor’s office.

"At about noon, they (VA officials) locked down the VA and they said a man had two rifles and ammo cans," Day said on the phone during the lockdown. "So they went in lockdown and me and my doctor are in his office waiting for them to let us go."

Day said that law enforcement officers were searching the area for the man and appeared to be looking for explosive devices.

"I can see outside the window of my doctor's office and they told us that the guy (suspect) was in the stairwell of the building," Day said. "But law enforcement left the area so I don't think he was there. They are letting us move around the building now, but I'm still in my doctor's office waiting for them to lift the lockdown."

He added, "I can see FBI agents searching the area around the VA and Beaumont for bombs, but they haven't told us anything yet. So we are just waiting."

Once the lockdown was lifted, workers began returning to the building, including maintenance worker Rosa Ordoñez, who had reported to work just as the lockdown began.

Ordoñez, who has worked at Beaumont for 17 years, said she usually works the night shift but was asked to report to work at noon because of the Good Friday holiday.

She was asked to complete her shift after the lockdown was lifted, she said.

A similar lockdown happened in January 2015 when a gunman killed a psychologist and then himself at the VA clinic.

The psychologist, Timothy Fjordbak, 63, was killed by Jerry Serrato, 48, who then killed himself on Jan. 6, 2015.

FBI officials later said that Serrato had threatened Fjordbak at a supermarket in October 2013.

Serrato was a medically retired Iraq War Army veteran who had worked as a clerk at the VA clinic for a short time in 2013, according to Army records and FBI and VA officials.

VA officials said in an email that normal operating hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. will resume Saturday. They added that “patients whose appointments were interrupted or cancelled will be contacted within three business days to reschedule.”

Any patient who is not called within three days is asked to call the VA at 564-6143 or 564-6100.

Aaron Martinez may be reached at 546-6249; aamartinez@elpasotimes.com; @AMartinez31 on Twitter.

Cindy Ramirez may be reached at 546-6151; cramirez@elpasotimes.com; @EPTCindyRamirez on Twitter.

El Paso Times reporter Luis Carlos Lopez contributed to this story.