An airman at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina shot a “gate runner” who was trying to illegally enter the base on Friday, injuring them and triggering a multi-agency investigation into the incident.
The person tried to “illegally gain access” to the base around 1:30 p.m., according to a brief press release. They were shot by an airman with the 20th Security Forces Squadron and transferred to a medical facility nearby.
The gate runner’s identity hasn’t been released, and it isn’t clear whether they’ll be charged with a crime.
FBI spokesperson Kevin Wheeler said the individual entered the base with a “prohibited weapon,” WCSC reported. The agency stated that “there is no indication that this isolated incident is related to terrorism or any other violent extremism, and there is no threat to the general public.”
Col. Kristoffer Smith, commander of the 20th Fighter Wing, said, “Our security forces personnel are trained to respond to a variety of situations to ensure the safety of our personnel and assets.”
The gate runner incident is being investigated by local and federal authorities as well as the 20th Security Forces Squadron, according to the release. WCBD added that the Air Force Office of Special Investigations is also involved.
“Gate runners” are people who bypass checkpoints outside military installations without providing their credentials, intentionally or unintentionally.
Another recent gate run came in November at Wyoming’s F.E. Warren Air Force Base. Security personnel activated a barrier system that injured an airman in a vehicle ahead of the gate runner, who was “determined to be non-hostile,” according to a press release.
Shaw Air Force Base is adjacent to the city of Sumter in central South Carolina. One of the Air Force’s oldest installations, it’s home to 7,140 active duty troops and 14,000 family members, according to the Defense Department.
