2 Victims, Shooter Dead in Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Shooting

December 4, 2019 8:56 PM - Updated: December 5, 2019 4:42 AM
USS Jefferson City (SSN-759) departs Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard after completing an engineering overhaul to prolong the life of the submarine. US Navy Photo

A shooter who killed two shipyard workers and injured a third at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Hawaii is dead, Navy officials confirmed to USNI News.

The shooter, a U.S. sailor, shot the three civilians near Dry Dock 2 at the shipyard before turning the gun on himself on Wednesday, Rear Adm. Rob Chadwick commander of Navy Region Hawaii told reporters. NCIS is now leading an investigation into the shooting, Chadwick said. The nuclear attack submarine USS Columbia (SSN-771) was in the dry dock being repaired. The shooter was attached to Columbia.

Following the shooting, “one of the victims was taken to the Tripler Army Medical Center, one to Pali Momi Medical Center and a third to the Queen’s Medical Center,” reported Hawaii News Now.

“Honolulu EMS sent multiple ambulances to the scene, and Honolulu Fire responded with six units, including almost two dozen firefighters,” reported ABC.

One witness told the news station they heard loud pops from their office at the shipyard.

“I kind of recognize that as gunshots,” one witness told the network. “I looked out in time to see the shooter, who I assume was a sailor because he was in uniform … shoot himself.”

The more than 100-year-old shipyard is one of four major repair facilities operated by the Navy to service ships and submarines throughout the fleet. Thousands of sailors and civilians work in and around the facility that’s adjacent to the U.S. naval base and Pacific Fleet headquarters near Honolulu.

The following is the complete Dec. 4, 2019 statement from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

Officials at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam report the shooting incident at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard has been secured. One person is confirmed dead. The shooter has been tentatively identified as a U.S. Sailor. The sailor reportedly shot and injured three Department of Defense civilian workers before shooting themself. The incident took place this afternoon at the vicinity of the shipyard’s Dry Dock 2. The base is no longer in lockdown.

Base security and Navy investigative services are currently investigating. The names of the victims will not be released until the next of kin have been notified.

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone is the editor of USNI News. He has covered legislation, acquisition and operations for the Sea Services since 2009 and spent time underway with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Canadian Navy.
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