A 17-year-old male with a firearm was apprehended Sunday after a vehicle ignored security personnel commands at the Main Gate of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, and another individual from the vehicle remains at large.
According to Joint Base Andrews, the 316th Security Forces Group and local authorities conducted a search of the base to confirm the second individual was no longer on the base premises. The 17-year-old remains in custody.
Joint Base Andrews’ Main Gate closed at roughly 9 p.m. on Sunday, and reopened at approximately 3 a.m. Monday.
“I am incredibly proud of the quick actions of our Defenders to immediately deploy the barriers to stop last night’s stolen vehicle and then apprehend one of the individuals that had a weapon. The Defenders handled the intense situation with discipline and calm professionalism,” Col. Tyler Schaff, 316th Wing and Joint Base Andrews installation commander, said in a news release.
“We are also thankful for our partnerships with local authorities, who responded rapidly on base to assist the 316th Security Forces Group throughout the night,” Schaff said.
Those involved in clearing the base included the Prince George’s County Police, Maryland State Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Office of Special Investigation.
The incident is under investigation.
The Pentagon announced in February the Air Force Inspector General was launching an investigation into base security worldwide, after an intruder obtained unauthorized access and entered a jet at Joint Base Andrews.
“Everyone is taking this very seriously,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters last month. “The acting secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force chief of staff are going to order the Air Force Inspector General to fully investigate this.”
