3 Dead in Pearl Harbor Shooting
Security forces attend to an unidentified male outside the the main gate at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019, in Hawaii, following a shooting.
December 5, 2019
An armed active-duty sailor opened fire at a U.S. Navy shipyard on Wednesday, fatally shooting two shipyard workers and injuring another before killing himself, according to a Navy spokesman.
According to Admiral Robert Chadwick, the shooter was an active-duty sailor assigned to the USS Columbia. It is unclear what type of gun was used and whether or not the attack was intended. There is an ongoing investigation regarding the nature of the gun involved in the shooting, since personal weapons are not allowed on the base. The victims’ names are being withheld, pending family notification.
The incident occurred around 2:30pm local time, according to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam officials.
“I kind of recognize that as gunshots,” one witness said. “I looked out the window, saw three people on the ground. I looked out in time to see the shooter … shoot himself.”
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is a combined U.S. Navy and Air Force base located about 8 miles from Honolulu, Hawaii. The shipyard is across the harbor from the National Pearl Harbor Memorial, where the 78th anniversary of the Japanese attack on the base will be marked on Saturday.
The shooting at Drydock 2 threw the community into mourning. Non-essential shipyard employees were told to stay home from work Wednesday night and Thursday.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and everyone involved,” said Rear Admiral Robert Chadwick, “This is certainly a tragedy for everyone here.”
In a message to shipyard employees, Shipyard Commander Capt. Greg Burton said in part, “I know that no words will convey the full measure of sorrow from today’s tragedy. This loss will be felt throughout our shipyard ‘Ohana, greater shipyard & NAVSEA family, submarine force, and the Navy as a whole.”
Base security and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service are currently investigating.
