Firefight Erupts During Tense Incident At Military Base

A shooting incident at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland early Saturday morning left authorities searching for answers as security guards exchanged gunfire with an unknown assailant.

At a Glance

U.S. Air Force security guards exchanged gunfire with a suspect in a dark sedan at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland
The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. local time on Saturday
No injuries were reported, and the suspect’s vehicle fled the scene
The San Antonio Police Department is leading the investigation
Base officials do not believe the shooter had military ties

Early Morning Gunfire at Military Base

In the early hours of Saturday morning, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland became the scene of a tense confrontation when U.S. Air Force security guards exchanged gunfire with an unknown assailant. The incident, which occurred around 4:30 a.m. local time, saw a suspect in a dark sedan shoot at the main entry gate of the facility, prompting a swift response from security personnel.

According to base officials, a service member on guard returned fire after the suspect attempted to shoot again. The suspect’s vehicle then fled the scene, leaving authorities with more questions than answers. Remarkably, despite the exchange of gunfire, no injuries were reported in the incident.

Investigation Underway

The San Antonio Police Department has taken the lead in investigating this troubling event. Details such as the number of rounds fired, the number of shooters involved, and their motive remain unknown at this time. Base officials have stated that they do not believe the shooter had any military ties, adding another layer of mystery to the incident.

“We don’t know what, if anything, started it,” said Stefanie Antosh, a base spokesperson. “But it wasn’t an active threat to the installation, and there is no active threat to the installation.”

The entrance to the base was closed for several hours following the shooting, but importantly, the base was not placed under lockdown. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

A Second Incident

In a concerning turn of events, it was revealed that this was actually the second shooting incident at the base that morning. According to Sgt. Washington Moscoso of the San Antonio Police Department, security personnel heard several shots fired at the entrance gate to a training annex around 2:15 a.m., about two hours before the main incident.

“The security personnel stated they heard several shots fired as well as the fired rounds go past them,” Moscoso said in a release. “After this incident, the security personnel added more armed guards as a precaution.”

This precautionary measure proved crucial when the second incident occurred. “For a second time, shots were fired at the Air Force security personnel, however, with the additional security personnel present, multiple Air Force personnel returned fire toward the suspect vehicle,” Moscoso explained.

Base Operations and Security

Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland is a significant military installation, housing over 24,000 active-duty members and 10,000 Department of Defense civilians. It is part of the larger Joint Base San Antonio complex, which includes Randolph Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston, and Camp Bullis.

Despite the alarming nature of the incident, base officials have emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the installation. The base remains operational, and military officials and law enforcement agencies continue to monitor the situation closely.

As the investigation unfolds, the brave actions of the security personnel who responded to this threat serve as a reminder of the constant vigilance required to protect our nation’s military installations. The incident at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland underscores the importance of robust security measures and the readiness of our armed forces to respond to unexpected threats.