Pearl Harbor Shooting: Sailor Kills 2, Then Self, At Shipyard

OAHU, HI — A U.S. sailor opened fire in an afternoon attack at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, according to officials, killing two people and injuring another before fatally shooting himself at the scene, one of the nation's most revered military installations. The shooting at the base's shipyard caused a lockdown, which has since been lifted.

In a statement posted to Twitter, the base public affairs office said the sailor shot three civilian Department of Defense employees near the shipyard’s Dry Dock 2, one of the shipyard’s four dry docks where vessels usually undergo repairs. The sailor then shot himself, officials said.

Military officials confirmed at a press conference that two people were killed and the third victim was said to be in stable condition. The sailor died after shooting himself, according to officials.

At around 2:30 local time (7:30 p.m. Eastern), authorities responded to an “active shooter type incident,” according to Capt. Scot Seguirant, a spokesman for the Honolulu Fire Department, quoted by The Washington Post. The fire department and other local agencies were assisting the military in its response.

Joint base security responded to the reported shooting at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, they said. All access points and gates were closed and the base was under lockdown. By 4:15 p.m., the gates had reopened, according to the base’s Twitter account.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige said the White House has offered assistance from federal agencies and that the state is also ready to help if needed.

“I join in solidarity with the people of Hawaii as we express our heartbreak over this tragedy and concern for those affected by the shooting,” Ige said in a statement.

Heavy traffic was reported around the base due to the incident.

The base was established in 1908 and is a national historic landmark because of the role it played in World War II. The shipyard is across the harbor from the Pearl Harbor Memorial.

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is on Saturday, Dec.7, marking the date of the 1941 attack on the base that killed and wounded thousands of Americans. Military Officials have several events planned to commemorate the day.

The base is adjacent to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu’s south shore. The shipyard is located near the Pearl Harbor National Memorial.

Pearl Harbor houses the headquarters for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the world's largest fleet command, and is the home port for 10 destroyers and 15 submarines.

Patch will update this breaking news story.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.