U.S. Air Force security guards engaged in a shootout with an individual who fired shots at an entrance to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland early Saturday, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the base.
“It was an incident of off-base shooting from a passing vehicle that targeted the gate, leading to our security forces taking action,” stated base spokesperson Stefanie Antosh. “There is no danger to the base. Thankfully, no injuries or fatalities were reported.”
Antosh mentioned that the San Antonio police were investigating the shooting, with the initial incident occurring around 2:15 a.m.
“The security personnel reported hearing multiple shots being fired and rounds passing by them,” said Sgt. Washington Moscoso in a statement. “Following this, additional armed guards were deployed as a precaution.”
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A vehicle came to a stop near the same entrance just after 4:30 a.m., Moscoso reported.
“Once again, shots were fired towards the Air Force security personnel, but with the presence of additional security personnel, multiple Air Force members returned fire at the suspect vehicle,” Moscoso mentioned.
The vehicle then fled the scene. No injuries were sustained and investigations into the shootings are ongoing, according to Moscoso.
Details such as the number of rounds fired, the number of shooters, and their motive remain unknown, as per Antosh.
The entrance was closed for a few hours post the shooting before reopening at approximately 9:30 a.m., with no lockdown imposed on the base, Antosh confirmed.
Joint Base San Antonio comprises of Lackland, Randolph Air Force Base, as well as the Army’s Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis training camp.
Lackland houses over 24,000 active duty members and 10,000 Department of Defense civilians, as per the base website. It includes various units such as the 37th Training Wing; 149th Fighter Wing; 59th Medical Wing; Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency; 24th Air Force Wing, 67th Network Warfare Wing; Cryptologic Systems Group; National Security Agency; and 70 associated units.
