pearl harbor

Shooting At Pearl Harbor Naval Base Kills Two Workers, Injures Another

The gunman, a current U.S. sailor, shot the three civilian workers before turning the gun on himself.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Dec 04, 2019

Two shipyard workers were killed and another injured in a shooting at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard near Honolulu, just days before commemorations of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that launched U.S. involvement in World War II. 

The gunman was a sailor who shot the three Department of Defense civilian workers before turning the gun on himself and dying from a gunshot wound to the head, according to local police. A motive for the killings was not immediately clear, and the Navy has yet to identify the man, who was assigned to the U.S.S. Columbia at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The base is home to both Air Force and Navy service members. 

First responders were first called to the base at about 2:30 p.m. local time, leading to a base lockdown that was lifted after about an hour and a half. Gates and base access was reopened at about 4 p.m. local time. 

While two of the victims, who have not been identified as their next of kin are notified, died soon after the shooting, the other victim is in stable condition at a local hospital, according to The New York Times. 

“The role that the shipyard played in World War II is pretty legendary, and the shipyard is well known for the amazing work they did then and the amazing work they continue to do,’’ Rear Adm. Robert B. Chadwick, the Navy commander in Hawaii, said during a news conference. "This is certainly a tragedy for everyone here, and certainly our sincere thoughts are with the families of the victims and everyone involved.”

Chadwick added that it is still unclear whether the gunman targeted the workers or shot at them indiscriminately, Hawaii News Now reported. 

 

 

This story has been updated with information about the gunman and the deaths of two civilians. 

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

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