Lapse of Security at Gate of Naval Base Causes Death

Lapse of Security at Gate of Naval Base Causes Death

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Mar 18, 2015

A civilian police officer was standing guard at the gate to the world’s largest naval base, when a man pulled up in his truck. The man wasn’t required to produce his identification or give any reason why he was there as the police officer thought the man was going to make a U-turn. Instead, the man drove his truck straight onto the base, eventually parking it, motor running, near a pier where the USS Mahan and a hospital ship were docked. As soon as the man breached gate security, I would assume the police officer would notify security; however, neither pier security nor security on the ships was notified.

This all took place in 2014, but the Navy is just now completing their investigation of this incident. Identifying the driver of the truck as Jeffrey Tyrone Savage, investigators have reported that he had no legitimate reason to be on base, and even though the investigation is complete, Savage’s motive is still unknown.

At the time, the USS Mahan was undergoing maintenance, so it wasn’t uncommon to see a civilian on the pier. This enabled Savage to simply walk through a pedestrian gate onto the pier without being questioned. Ship security just assumed Savage to be a nonthreatening, intoxicated civilian mariner or worker with authorization to be on base.

Meanwhile, the civilian police officer at the gate, continued with his shift, actually checking identification for the next several vehicles that drove through the gate. It took 9 minutes for the police officer to go looking for Savage, in which he eventually found his abandoned truck. Still, the officer did not notify dispatch and returned to the gate that he was manning.

Savage wandered around on the pier, looking through several tool boxes, before he boarded the USS Mahan in a nonthreatening manner, saying that he “just wanted to talk.” He ignored several calls from military personnel to produce his identification, so a sailor drew her gun. Savage wrestled the weapon from the sailor, which was not secured by a lanyard as required. And, the sailor didn’t shoot Savage because she was unable to disengage the safety lock on the weapon.

Responding to the commotion, Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark Mayo ran onto the ship and jumped between Savage and the other sailor to protect her. Mayo was shot several times by Savage before Savage was shot and killed by Navy security.

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.