Security at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base fatally shot a person Friday trying to illegally access the base just outside of Tucson, Arizona, officials said.
Around 2:30 a.m., the suspect, a non-military civilian, failed to stop and identify themselves at the main gate, the Air Force said in a news release. The person was driving erratically, crashed into the deployed vehicle barrier and reversed the vehicle, the release said. A member of the security unit on the base, the 355th Security Forces Squadron, then shot the suspect.
AP Photo
“We certainly regret the loss of life that occurred early this morning,” Col. Jose Cabrera, the commander of the 355th Wing, said in a statement. “Our Defenders have a very difficult job and acted in accordance with their training and policy to ensure the security of the installation and safety of our Airmen.”
The base is home to 11,000 airmen from 34 unique mission partners, which support six combatant commanders around the world. It also serves as the retirement setting for some of the nation’s most heralded military aircraft.
