Gunfight Breaks Out as San Antonio-Lackland Air Force Base Gate Guards Return Fire on Multiple Shooters Trying to Gain Entry

Gunfire rattled twice early Saturday at the main gate of Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas as the base’s guards came under fire.

“It was an off-base shooting from a passing vehicle that fired shots towards the gate, prompting our security forces to respond,” base representative Stefanie Antosh said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.

“There is no threat to the installation. We had no injuries, no fatalities,” Antosh said.

The incident erupted at the gate to JBSA-Chapman Training Annex as the active shooters tried to gain entry, according to KSAT-TV.

Security Forces with the U.S. Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas, were forced to Return Fire this morning against several Armed Individuals who Opened Fire on the Main Gate to the JBSA-Chapman Training Annex around roughly 4:30am. pic.twitter.com/VdOxZDkdRv

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 17, 2024

The first of two incidents took place at 2:15 a.m., according to AP.

“The security personnel stated they heard several shots fired as well as the fired rounds go past them,” Sgt. Washington Moscoso said in a base statement.

“After this incident, the security personnel added more armed guards as a precaution,” he said.

Shortly after 4:30, a similar incident took place, Moscoso said.

“For a second time, shots were fired at the Air Force security personnel, however, with the additional security personnel present, multiple Air Force personnel returned fire toward the suspect vehicle,” Moscoso said.

The vehicle fled. No injuries were reported, Moscoso said.

Antosh said it was not known how many rounds were fired or the motive for the shooting.

Antosh said more than one shooter was in the car, but did not provide a number of people who were in the vehicle, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

The gate where the shooting took place was closed until shortly after 9:30 a.m., Antosh said, but no lockdown was initiated, according to AP.

Joint Base San Antonio includes Randolph Air Force Base and Lackland Air Force Base and two Army installations — Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bulllis training camp.

About 24,000 active duty service members are based at Lackland.

Units at the base include the 37th Training Wing; 149th Fighter Wing; 59th Medical Wing; the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency; 24th Air Force Wing, 67th Network Warfare Wing; the Cryptologic Systems Group; the National Security Agency; and 70 other units.