One airman is dead and another was injured following a shootout involving base security at Kirtland Air Force Base overnight, the Air Force announced.
The shooting took place around 2 a.m. Saturday, Feb 22, according to a release from the base.. The shootout occurred near the Truman Gate on the north end of the base, with members of the 377th Security Forces Squadron responding to an unspecified incident. One airmen was “found dead at the scene,” the Air Force said.
The exact cause of the shootout is unclear, or what happened leading up to security forces responding. A spokesperson for the base did not clarify if the airmen killed was the shooter security forces were firing at or a member of the responders.
Additionally, another airman was shot in the hand and was taken to the nearby University of New Mexico Medical Center for treatment. “He has since been released with no life-threatening injuries,” the release said.
The Air Force did not identify the victims. The incident is under investigation, the Air Force said. No other information was available.
Kirtland Air Force Base, in the Albuquerque metropolitan area, is home to 377th Air Base Wing and the 58th Special Operations Wing, among other units.
The Truman Gate was closed following the shooting and remains so as of press time.
This is a developing story.
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