Intruder Breaches Gate at Texas Air Force Base, Prompting Shots Fired in Self-Defense
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San Antonio-Camp Bullis Joint Base, Texas — On Saturday afternoon, an unidentified motorist slammed through the main access point gate at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis, prompting Air Force security guards to fire in self-defense.
According to Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston spokesman Robert Strain, the burglar was "speeding in the wrong direction of traffic" as he approached the guards.
The motorist bypassed the checkpoint, drove about the facility for a few minutes, and then sped out the back door. Authorities said the suspect did not enter any restricted parts of the facility, and thankfully, no Air Force personnel or property were hurt.
As of Tuesday, authorities still had no leads on identifying the driver. More information is expected to be released by the San Antonio Police Department, which arrested the man about nine miles from Camp Bullis in connection with the incident.
The majority of the nearly 27,000 acres that make up Camp Bullis in Bexar County are used for the training of ground combat troops from the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Important field medical training takes place here for troops based out of the adjacent Brooke Army Medical Center.
Joint Base San Antonio is always on guard to protect its three affiliated facilities: Joint Base San Antonio–Fort Sam Houston, Joint Base San Antonio–Randolph, and Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland (the center for the Air Force's basic training program).
On Tuesday morning, the facility temporarily closed another gate and locked down multiple buildings after gunshots were heard coming from the surrounding woods. The off-base event prompted a quick response from the local police. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and no government property was destroyed. However, the gates and buildings were unlocked again a few hours later.
Several security breaches at military bases around the country preceded the incident. Earlier this year, an unauthorized driver slammed his car into a wall at California's Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Later, in a separate incident at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, a resident opened fire on a trespassing intruder, necessitating yet another probe.
The military and law enforcement are constantly beefing up security to protect these vital facilities and their people. Events like this highlight the persistent difficulty military outposts have in ensuring the safety of their perimeters in the face of ever-changing threats.
While details emerge from ongoing investigations, the Air Force community at Joint Base San Antonio remains on high alert, placing a premium on the protection of its troops and property.
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