Federal courthouse in downtown Las Vegas briefly evacuated

The Lloyd George U.S. Courthouse in downtown Las Vegas was briefly evacuated Monday when an alarm sounded inside the building.

At about 12:15 p.m., dozens of workers left the building and gathered in a nearby alley.

“This is not a drill,” a court security officer told the crowd as she held up a red flag.

Within minutes, the officer held up a green flag, and the workers returned to the building on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Neither the building manager nor the court clerk could be reached for immediate comment on the cause of the alarm.

A spokesman for the Las Vegas Fire Department said the agency was notified about a fire alarm but that the alarm was shut off before any trucks could be sent.

Writer Cassandra Taloma contributed to this story. Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710. Find her on Twitter: @CarriGeer