The residential area of ​​Joint Base Andrews was breached by an intruder and shots were fired

Washington — Another intruder broke into one of the nation’s most sensitive military bases — the home of Air Force One — and this time a resident opened fire on the intruder, Joint Base Andrews said in a statement Monday evening.

During the incident, which occurred around 11:30 a.m. Monday, “a male gained unauthorized access to the JBA living area,” Joint Base Andrews said in a statement posted on Twitter. “A resident discharged a firearm, security forces responded to the scene to apprehend the intruder, and law enforcement is investigating the incident.”

Joint Base Andrews is home to a fleet of blue and white presidential aircraft, including Air Force One, Marine One and a “doomsday” 747 that can serve as an airborne nuclear command and control center when needed.

The Air Force said late Monday that it had nothing to add beyond Andrews’ statement about Monday’s invasion.

This is not the first case of base security breach.

Last March, a 17-year-old gunman was arrested after he and another man drove through a checkpoint at the facility’s main gate, leading to the base being locked down. The second person managed to escape, the base reported.

In February 2021, a man passed through a military checkpoint to the installation, then through additional fenced security areas to access the flight line and board a C-40, which is a military aircraft equivalent to the 737 used to fly government officials.

This intruder was caught “mouse ears” behind the cap. seemed strange to the observing pilot.

An investigation by the inspector general found three major security lapses, starting with “human error” by a gate guard who allowed a man to enter the base even though he did not have the credentials to allow him access. A few hours later, the man entered the flight line undetected, slipping through a fence designed to restrict entry. Finally, he entered and exited a parked aircraft without being summoned, even though he was not wearing the required badge that allowed access to the restricted area.