2 Dead in Shooting at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/09/us/shooting-lackland-air-force-base-san-antonio.html

Version 2 of 3.

Two airmen were shot to death on Friday at an Air Force base in San Antonio, in what officials described as a murder-suicide, putting the base on lockdown for almost two hours as law enforcement agencies made sure there were no other shooters or victims.

The shooting at Lackland Air Force Base prompted a swarming response from base personnel, local law enforcement agencies and the F.B.I., demonstrating the vigilance learned in the wake of terrorist attacks and other mass shootings, like the killing of 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009 by an Army major.

The F.B.I. said Friday that its initial conclusion was that the killings at Lackland were not an act of terrorism.

Brig. Gen. Robert D. LaBrutta, commander of Joint Base San Antonio, a collection of installations that includes Lackland, said the base was basically safe, but added, “We have some one-offs, and that’s what I would consider this, a one-off.”

Officials said the dead airmen were male, but declined to identify them, give their ranks, offer a motive or say what the relationship was between them. They said more information would be released 24 hours after the next of kin had been notified.

The Associated Press and other news organizations reported that the gunman killed his commander and then himself.

At a news conference, General LaBrutta said that at Lackland, like many military bases, people are not allowed to carry firearms unless they are using them for training, or are part of a security force.

He said two Glock pistols were found at the scene. The military generally does not use Glock handguns; the standard Air Force side arm is made by Beretta. General LaBrutta would not say whether the guns belonged to one or both of the men who were killed.

All newly enlisted airmen go to Lackland for basic training. The shooting occurred in what is known as the Medina Annex, a short distance from the main body of the base, in a building that houses classrooms, a theater and offices.

The first 911 call about the shooting was made at 8:40 a.m. local time, and base security officers “were in that building within three minutes of that call,” and had found the bodies within eight minutes, General LaBrutta said.

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, the San Antonio police and fire departments, and other agencies soon descended on the base. Even after the agencies were confident that the only shooter had been found, the base remained on lockdown as officers completed a room-by-room search.