Shooting at Air Force base gate leaves airman dead after off-base pursuit (Kirtland)

Fox News ^ | 2/22/25 | Brie Stimson

[Libloather]

A shooting just outside Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico left one airman dead and another hospitalized early Saturday morning, the Air Force said.

Members of the 377th Security Forces Squadron responded to an incident at the Albuquerque base’s Truman Gate around 2 a.m. Saturday.

The airman was found dead at the scene, the Air Force said.

The second wounded airman was shot in the hand and has been released from the hospital, the Air Force said in the release.

In an update, the Air Force said an incident led to an off-base pursuit that resulted in the shooting.

The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is investigating the shooting along with the FBI and Albuquerque Police Department.

The Air Force added that there is no threat to the public.

The military did not reveal the identity of the shooter or say if anyone is in custody.

Albuquerque police aren’t searching for any more suspects, police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos told the Associated Press.

[IYAS9YAS]

The Truman gate at Kirtland is on the southern edge of a high-crime area that the locals call "The War Zone" and that the City of Albuquerque euphemistically calls "The International District." It is the main visitor gate where everyone who does not yet have access to the base goes to gain access to the base and is open 24/7. It is on Gibson Blvd near the intersection of San Mateo Blvd. Gibson runs east-west and for the most part, it is the northern border of the base until you get to Louisiana Blvd going east.

All of Kirtland's gates are along Gibson Blvd in the War Zone, except for the Eubank gate. The Eubank gate is still near the War Zone, but it's the eastern-most gate and Gibson ends before getting that far east. Kirkland shares runways with the Albuquerque Sunport.

[fidelis]

I fully agree and is why I am asking. Last I heard they were not allowed to have ready and functional weapon.

Air Force Security Forces do and always have fully loaded weapons. I believe there was a report several years ago about Marines pulling security at Navy bases not allowed to carry loaded weapons, but I don't know how that turned out or if that is still the case.

[fidelis]

Air Force Security Forces do and always have fully loaded weapons.

I should clarify this is only when they are on duty performing law enforcement or security duty. Except for a few exceptions, weapons and ammo are turned in to the armory at the end of shift.

[ASOC]

My son (former 0311, Grunt, USMC) was hired as a supplementary gate guard at JEBR (Anchorage, Ak)

He carried an issue M9 and 3 spare mags of live ammo..

The pay was good, but the PTB decided the use of DoD Police was a better choice. Now he guards the local airport.

[gundog]

They only carried 5 rounds when I was in the AF. State-side, ‘81-85.

[fidelis]

They only carried 5 rounds when I was in the AF. State-side, ‘81-85.

I was stateside 76-78 and overseas 79-81 in the Air Force and in both places we carried a full magazine in the weapon and three full magazines in our belt pouches. When we carried a side arm, it was always fully loaded. This is not counting the M-60's and grenade launchers we carried when overseas.

[gundog]

It could have been a Homestead thing. The place was a joke. The flightline was protected by the usual “Use of deadly force...” signs, painted on the tarmac, and a perimeter rope about 4 inches off the ground.