A tragic shooting incident took place at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the early hours of Saturday, resulting in the death of one airman and injury to another, as confirmed by military authorities. The officials were quick to dispel any notions of terrorism or external aggression being the cause of the incident.
The base’s security forces were alerted to the shooting near one of the entrances around 2 a.m. The injured airman was promptly taken to a hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound to his hand and was subsequently discharged, according to the base’s official statement. Regrettably, the other airman did not survive his injuries and was declared dead at the scene.
The incident was the culmination of an “off-base pursuit,” as disclosed in an afternoon update from the base. The base’s statement also reassured the public that there was no ongoing threat in the aftermath of the incident.
The Air Force has maintained a guarded stance regarding the specifics of the incident, including the status of any potential suspects. A representative for the base refrained from commenting on whether the shooter or shooters were also airmen. The identities of the airmen involved in the shooting have been kept confidential.
The investigation into the incident is currently being spearheaded by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. The FBI is also participating in the investigation, with support from the Albuquerque police, as stated by Gilbert Gallegos, a police spokesperson. Gallegos further confirmed that the police were not actively pursuing any suspects.