Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended1655232993

Texas shooting - live: Multiple shots fired at base from outside, brigadier general says

Follow the latest updates

Gustaf Kilander,Bevan Hurley
Tuesday 14 June 2022 19:56 BST
Brig. Gen Russell Driggers, commander of Joint Base San Antonio, briefed reporters after a shooting at the base on Tuesday morning.
Brig. Gen Russell Driggers, commander of Joint Base San Antonio, briefed reporters after a shooting at the base on Tuesday morning. (KXAN)

Military officials in Texas have placed Joint Base San Antonio under lockdown after gunshots were heard near the base on Tuesday morning.

Law enforcement and base security officers are responding after several shots were heard near the base at around 10am.

“Security forces and local law enforcement are currently responding to reports of gunshots heard off-base in the vicinity of Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland AFB,” the base said in a tweet on Tuesday morning.

Later on Tuesday, San Antonio Police tweeted that “South Patrol Officers are investigating a ‘shots fired’ call off Medina Base Road outside the gate at Lackland Air Force Base. At this time, there is not an active shooter situation. Officers are continuing to investigate but there is no threat to the public”.

There are no reports of injury, KXAN reported.

Lackland Air Force Base is part of Joint Base San Antonio, situated in the suburbs of southwest San Antonio.

1655232818

Two hours of lockdown before ‘all clear’ issued

The lockdown lasted for around two hours before the all-clear was sent out.

Law enforcement and security officers at the base, which is part of Joint Base San Antonio, responded after several shots were heard near the base at around 9.30am.

Just over two hours later, the base announced it had reopened and there was no longer any threat.

The San Antonio Police Department also issued an update just before 11.30am to say they were investigating gunfire at a gate to the military base on Medina Base Rd and it was not an active shooter situation.

“Officers are continuing to investigate but there is no threat to the public,” police said in a statement.

There are no reports of injury, KXAN reported.

The initial alert said that security forces and local law enforcement were responding to reports of gunshots heard off-base in the vicinity of Lackland Air Force Base.

Joint Base San Antonio said in an update just after midday that facilities on a large section of the base including the 341st Training Squadron training complex remained on lockdown while security forces checked the area.

It asked military personnel and members of the public to stay away from the area.

Bevan Hurley, Gustaf Kilander14 June 2022 19:53

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in