Federal agents say they are probing whether the shooting at the base Corpus Christi had a terrorist motive. The gunman was shot and killed by guards after wounding a sailor.
The FBI confirmed early on Friday that a shooting the day before at a US naval base in Texas was likely “terrorism-related,” though officials did not elaborate further. The attack at the station in the city of Corpus Christi left a sailor wounded and the gunman dead.
At around 6.15 a.m local time (1100 UTC) on Thursday, the assailant, later identified as Adam Alsahli of Corpus Christi, attempted to gain access to the base by opening fire on the sailor who was guarding the security gate.
However, though injured, she was able to roll over and push the button that deployed the gate’s security barrier, denying him access.
Gunman ‘neutralized’
Alsahli was then shot and killed by other security guards at the base. The injured sailor has since been released from the hospital.
“We have determined that the incident this morning at the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi is terrorism-related,” said FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Leah Greeves. “We are working diligently with our state, local and federal partners on this investigation, which is fluid and evolving.”