choicegraphx/iStock(PENSACOLA, Fla.) — Four people are dead including the suspect after an active shooting incident at Naval Air Station Pensacola, police said.
Four people are dead including the suspect after an active shooting incident at a naval base in Pensacola, Florida, police said.
The shooter was a Saudi national in the U.S. for flight training, two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation told ABC News. Investigators are trying to determine whether the shooting was terror-related or not, the officials said.
Authorities responded to reports of a shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola at 6:51 a.m. on Friday, officials said. ATF and FBI also responded to the scene.
The shooting took place at one of the classroom buildings on the base, officials said. Officers with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene and fatally shot the suspect after exchanging gunfire.
Three people, including the shooter, were pronounced dead on scene, police said.
Eight people were injured in the shooting and were transported to Baptist Hospital, a hospital spokesperson told ABC News. One of those transferred to the hospital later died from injuries, police said.
Two officers were among those wounded in the shooting. One officer was shot in the leg and is currently in surgery and the other officer was shot in the arm and is undergoing care at the hospital. They are both expected to survive.
“Walking through the crime scene was like being on the set of a movie,” Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan told reporters, adding “The threat has been negated, our community is secured at this time.”
“Base security and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service are currently investigating. The names of the victims will not be released until the next of kin have been notified,” the Navy said in a statement.
Officials did not release any details about the shooter.
The ATF and FBI will assist local authorities in the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is also involved.
The base is shut down until further notice and all personnel currently on the base will taken off the facility in an orderly fashion, said Captain Timothy Kinsella, commanding officer at NAS Pensacola.
NAS Pensacola employs more than 16,000 military and 7,400 civilian personnel, according to the base’s website. The facility includes the Naval Aviation Schools Command, Naval Air Technical Training Center, Marine Aviation Training Support Group 21 and 23, the Blue Angels, and the headquarters for Naval Education Training Command.
This is the second shooting incident on a Navy base in the last week.
A 22-year-old active-duty sailor opened fire on three civilian employees, killing two, before he fatally shot himself at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard near Honolulu on Wednesday, military officials said.
The suspected shooter opened fire on shipyard personnel with his M4 service rifle and then used his M9 service pistol to shoot himself, officials said.
ABC News’ Christina Carrega contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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