naval air station pensacola

Four People Dead, Including Suspect, After Shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola

This is the second time in three days that a shooter has opened fire at a U.S. naval base.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Dec 06, 2019

Four people are dead, including the suspected gunman, after a shooter opened fire at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida on Friday morning. 

At least eight people were hospitalized as a result of the incident, while two victims and the shooter died at the scene. One of the victims taken to an area hospital later died. The Navy base, home to more than 16,000 military and 7,400 civilian personnel, will be closed all day Friday.

The shooting was first reported around 7 a.m. local time, USA TODAY reported. The suspect, who has been identified as a trainee with the Saudi Air Force, was killed by a sheriff's deputy just before 8 a.m., according to Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan. Two deputies were injured but expected to recover, according to the Associated Press.

"He was training in aviation," Capt. Timothy Kinsella, the base's commanding officer, said of the Saudi national. He declined to comment on whether the shooting is being investigated as a terrorist act, though politicians have already begun to weigh in. The Pensacola base regularly hosts international students for flight training, and a couple hundred students are enrolled in the program, Kinsella said, according to The New York Times.

This is the second time in three days that a naval base has experienced an active shooter incident. On Wednesday, two civilian workers were killed at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard near Honolulu by a gunman who was serving in the Navy.

The shooter eventually turned the gun on himself and died of a self-inflicted gun wound. No motive has been released by investigators, and officials said they are not sure if the workers were targeted or victims of a random attack.

This story has been updated to reflect that another person has died as a result of the shooting. More information will be added as it becomes available. 

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Integration Imagination: The Future of Connected Operations

    Security teams that collaborate cross-functionally and apply imagination and creativity to envision and design their ideal integrated ecosystem will have the biggest upside to corporate security and operational benefits. Read Now

  • Smarter Access Starts with Flexibility

    Today’s workplaces are undergoing a rapid evolution, driven by hybrid work models, emerging smart technologies, and flexible work schedules. To keep pace with growing workplace demands, buildings are becoming more dynamic – capable of adapting to how people move, work, and interact in real-time. Read Now

  • Trends Keeping an Eye on Business Decisions

    Today, AI continues to transform the way data is used to make important business decisions. AI and the cloud together are redefining how video surveillance systems are being used to simulate human intelligence by combining data analysis, prediction, and process automation with minimal human intervention. Many organizations are upgrading their surveillance systems to reap the benefits of technologies like AI and cloud applications. Read Now

  • The Future is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reason. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. But as the number of cameras grows and resolutions push from HD to 4K and beyond, the cloud’s limits are becoming unavoidable. Bandwidth bottlenecks. Latency lags. Rising storage costs. These are not abstract concerns. Read Now

  • Right-Wing Activist Charlie Kirk Dies After Utah Valley University Shooting

    Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday after being shot during an on-campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah 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.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.