Suspect shot following vehicle chase at Offutt AFB

News > Suspect shot following vehicle chase at Offutt AFB

Suspect shot following vehicle chase at Offutt AFB

Posted 6/5/2012

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6/5/2012 - OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AFNS) -- An individual was shot by a 55th Security Forces Squadron member at the Kenney Gate here June 4.

Following a felony traffic stop, the suspect fled and illegally forced his way onto Offutt AFB with Bellevue Police Department and Sarpy County Sherriff's Department vehicles in pursuit.

"We have no indications he had any connection with the military or base at all," said Brig. Gen. Donald Bacon, the 55th Wing commander here.

During a five-to-ten minute chase through the installation, the 55th SFS closed all base exits and when the suspect attempted to force his vehicle off base, essentially using his vehicle as a weapon, a security forces member fired three shots, officials said.

"The suspect was warned and had a chance to surrender, but instead chose to repeatedly ram a barricade with his car and endanger those around the gate," Bacon said.

On initial review, the security forces member, who is a Department of the Air Force civilian, followed the proper protocol, officials said.

"Our initial assessment is our security forces members followed the correct procedures today," Bacon said.

The suspect was wounded and was taken to Creighton Medical Center by medical helicopter where he later died.

(Courtesy of 55th Wing Public Affairs.)

Comments

6/11/2012 9:05:51 AM ET
Good job security forces. Excellent working taking one more waste of taxpayer dollars off the streets. Now we don't have to pay tens of thousands of dollars a year to house the scumbag in a prison. Excellent work For all the naysayers..you weren't there and probably have never been in a situation resembling this one so shut up. Most of the people questioning the SFS actions would probably wet themselves if confronted with a situation like this.

1MadTSgt, CONUS

6/10/2012 4:15:51 PM ET
Good job SecFo. Forget the negative comments stated or written. You did your job and did it well. No question about that. Stand tall.

gabe, AOR

6/10/2012 8:04:35 AM ET
Despite the negative comments, I for one am pleased to see that no innocent lives were hurt or killed. Also enjoyed the reference to AFT by RMD. Rangers lead the way.

BOOM, SWA

6/8/2012 2:51:50 PM ET
First, Great job to the officer who shot this raging oxygen bandit, remember you are the victim not the perp. This guy ran from multiple law enforcement agencies on a traffic stop endangering those officers involved and others traversing the roads. Then this guy runs on base endangering more lives with a 4000lb bullet all in attempts to get back off base to evade law enforcement once again. Ridiculous. This person obviously thought of no one but himself. Just remember folks when you choose to do something stupid such as run from the police and attempt to cause serious injury or death to another person or officer, deadly force is authorized and justified. There is too many miss perceptions that an officer must go through the entire use of force structure in order to use deadly force or just wound to stop a threat. The threat is engaged until it is no longer a threat. Once again, good job officer.

copper, Alabama

6/8/2012 2:31:08 PM ET
Funny how so many criticize the cops as if they know what being a cop means. I was a cop for my first five years and found that the 3P0XX31P AFSC is one of the most hated in the USAF until someone needs help. Then people LOVE the cops. 55 SFS did the job nuff said. Monday morning QBs be silent and revel in the protection the cops provide at home and deployed.

DMPI, NoVA

6/8/2012 11:40:14 AM ET
Well done. For those who second guess in the short time this unfolded how are all SFS members on the net supposed to know what to do other than stop the intruder It could have been an SVBIED that failed to detonate for all they know. Thankfully the guy was stopped on base before he would get out into traffic and kill innocent drivers on the highway. I've walked through the results of car bombs and know first hand.

Ted Metzgar, Mitchell Field WI

6/8/2012 10:27:14 AM ET
1.Fled from a felony traffic stop. This wasn't a stop sign violation. More oftent than not a fleeing felon is wanted for more than check forgery.2. Repeatedly rammed the barricade. Vehicle is a deadly weapon and he was using it as such.3. Shoot before he comes on base. Really? Depending on the jurisdictional boundaries, this would probably not be acceptable under posse comitatus.Gotta love the SF career field. no matter what you do, you're wrong. If he would have broken through the barricade and ran over somebody, "Why didn't they shoot him?"

RMD, CONUS

6/8/2012 9:08:57 AM ET
I used to be stationed there and the article says that the case was 5 to 10 minutes. Was the security forces just letting this guy go where ever he wanted and following from a distance Because in that time he could have gone around the entire base because I'm sure he wasn't following the speed limit of 20 to 35 miles an hour. The base is not that big you can go from one side to the other in five minutes doing the posted speed limit.Also if he repeatedly tried to ram the barricade and wasn't getting through why didn't they try to disable his car and tazer him so they can question him? They could have used their own vehicles to block him up against the barricades and captured him right? I'm not saying they didn't do a good job in handling the situation, but couldn't they have captured him and not kill the guy. Obviously he wasn't going to get past the barricade. A fully loaded dump truck can't get past those gates when they are up and locked.

Tim, Littlerock AR.

6/7/2012 1:30:58 PM ET
Steal car, drive on U.S. military installation where use of deadly force is authorized, fail to heed warnings and directions to surrender from multiple law enforcement agencies...Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2012 Darwin Award winner. Roll Tide

Smithers, OAFB

6/7/2012 10:31:07 AM ET
I know I'll get a dozen angry replies for this, but how was this guy a threat? His motive first was to escape police and second to get off a military base. Both are attempts to evade authorities, not to kill anyone. Is evasion of authority or damage to government property worthy of being shot to death? Oh and I would agree with Susan that someone dying is the most important part of this story.

LB, South Dakota

6/7/2012 9:22:59 AM ET
Shoot BEFORE he gets on base...if possible

AMMO Mike, TN

6/7/2012 8:33:56 AM ET
Good job, Security Forces Member. Continue to keep our people and resources safe. Others, stop criticizing.

Darnell Bailey, SA Tx

6/6/2012 3:16:47 PM ET
The funniest part is the fact that the suspect was shot trying to LEAVE the base.

John, FL

6/6/2012 2:42:37 PM ET
Everyone is a Monday morning quarterback when it comes to the use of force by a cop on a suspect. Why didn't they and How come they did/did't shouldn't be what comes out of your mouth. Instead it should be something like, "The bad guy was stopped and the good guy returned home to his family. Mission accomplished." Good on you SF's military or civilians I know I can always count on my brothers to guard an AF base.

Brett, Lackland AFB

6/6/2012 11:38:09 AM ET
Why is it the story on the main AF.mil page shows no comments yet when you click on the link there are plenty?

Arctic Warrior, CO

6/6/2012 10:28:18 AM ET
I'm confused, the AP reported that BGen Bacon said the private security contractor who shot the man Monday afternoon followed procedure. Who shot JR, the mil civ or contractor? Why the conflict in information?

SB, Texas

6/6/2012 10:05:06 AM ET
To Susan Griggs: How is it that you find the most important part of the story that someone died? The article paints the picture and gives background information. Do you read the end of the book first? The most inportant point is that no USAF personnel or critical national resources were lost. @Retired, the deplyment of the barriers is considered deadly force and their use is controlled to prevent inadvertant injury or damage. Specific conditions must exist to warrant their use. They are just one part of a multi-layered defense. I know this because I was a SF Flight Chief who had to deploy them operationally. Things happen so fast you sometimes just don't have time. The same thing here. Support the Defenders don't criticize them because you weren't there.

Fish, New Mexico

6/6/2012 9:47:33 AM ET
To Retired: honestly working The Gates it's officer discretion, the member did what he thought was best. if the dude died, then oh well, shouldn't have tried to be Grand Theft Auto Air Force. actions have Consequences...i see nothing wrong with what the officer did.

John Smith, My TARDIS

6/6/2012 9:17:33 AM ET
To Retired Texas: The individual in this story actually ran through the gate using the search pit area. As we have no contractors here, just Airmen, Sailors and Department of the Air Force civilians, our security forces were on him immediately. They just didn't use force at that time because Sarpy County Sheriffs Department called ahead to notify SFS that he was not currently a threat.

Active at Offutt, Offutt AFB Nebraska

6/6/2012 9:16:36 AM ET
The above synopsis is too vague to draw conclusions about the failure to activate the final denial barriers. Bottom line: SF was on top of the situation and prevented a bad situation from becoming tragic. Threat was eliminated. Problem solved problem staying solved. Good job SF.

RMD, CONUS

6/5/2012 5:09:11 PM ET
Forced his way on to the base? So explain to me why bases are spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars on pop-up barriers and force protection measures. Or are the contractor gate guards untrained in the operation of the gate security equipment? Or has the maintenance budget been slashed so bad the barriers don't work? What if the vehicle had been loaded with explosives? What is the point of FPCON exercises?

Retired, Texas

6/5/2012 5:00:39 PM ET
Normally the most important information leads the story. The reader shouldn't have to wait until the last word of the story to find out that the intruder died.

Susan Griggs, Keesler AFB Miss.

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