Gunman who killed four at US Navy base was Saudi air force member
Two people have been killed and several others are injured after a gunman opened fire at a major US navy base in Florida.
The gunman was shot dead a few minutes after the shooting at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Escambia Sheriff’s spokeswoman Amber Southard said.
Two people were confirmed dead by the navy, and at least 11 were injured, with two in a critical condition.
#UPDATE: A second victim has been confirmed deceased.
— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) December 6, 2019
Base spokesman Jason Bortz said the base is on lockdown and all gates have been closed.
Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh, who works at the navy base as a civilian contractor, told the Pensacola News Journal he was in line to go through the gate on Friday morning when it was shut down due to the active gunman report.
“There’s probably been 100 or so various law enforcement vehicles zooming down the wrong side on Navy Boulevard,” Mr Bergosh said. “There’s been ambulances, fire trucks. It’s my understanding there’s multiple casualties.”
US President Donald Trump has been briefed about the shooting and is monitoring the situation, a White House spokesman said.
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US vice president Mike Pence tweeted: “Saddened to hear of the horrible shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola & continuing to monitor the situation.
“Praying for the victims & their families & we commend the first responders for their swift action in taking down the shooter & getting those on base to safety.”
NAS Pensacola employs more than 16,000 military and 7,400 civilian personnel, according to its website.
It is near Florida’s border with Alabama and is a major training site for the navy, as well as home to its aerobatic flight demonstration squadron the Blue Angels. The base also includes the National Naval Aviation Museum – which is a popular tourist attraction.
The shooting comes two days after a sailor shot three civilians at the historic Pearl Harbour military base in Hawaii. He killed two people before taking his own life.
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