A sailor was shot and killed after a high speed chase across Virginia’s Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story late Friday, authorities said.
Citing the ongoing next of kin notification process, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Beth Baker told Navy Times she can describe the dead man only as a junior enlisted sailor.
Baker said that the incident began shortly before 10 p.m. on Friday, when base Naval Security Forces reported a car driving erratically and tried to pull it over.
That triggered a chase at increasingly high speeds until the driver reached Gate 5, where personnel deployed automatic metal barriers to block his escape.
Baker said the driver then veered into the Navy Exchange Mini Mart and collided with the gas pumps, disabling his vehicle.
Fleeing on foot, he was chased by several Naval Security Forces personnel, she said.
When they caught up to him, he allegedly “attacked and assaulted them, in the process injuring two” of his pursuers, Baker added.
During the melee, the sailor was shot and Naval Security Forces personnel immediately began first aid to save his life but he was declared dead at the scene, according to Baker.
She did not know if the sailor who died was armed or not, but two of the Naval Security Forces personnel were treated for minor injuries at the scene.
“The Naval Security Forces at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story did exactly what they were trained to do,” Baker said. “They deployed the barriers. They followed procedures, exactly as they are trained to do them.”
Base commander Capt. Joey Frantzen arrived at the scene, along with other installation leaders. A chaplain joined them to provide counseling to the Naval Security Forces, she said.
Authorities closed Gate 5 until further notice.
Virginia Beach Police Department officers told Navy Times that they secured the perimeter outside the exit and all base traffic was diverted to Gate 1.
“Our only assistance in this investigation was that a forensic technician assisted the NCIS Forensic team with evidence gathering at the scene. We will not have any other role in the investigation. As this incident occurred on base, we will not file a police report,” said Master Police Officer Linda Kuehn in a Monday email to Navy Times.
Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents are probing the incident and Baker hopes to issue a lengthier statement on Monday.
Prine came to Navy Times after stints at the San Diego Union-Tribune and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He served in the Marine Corps and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. His awards include the Joseph Galloway Award for Distinguished Reporting on the military, a first prize from Investigative Reporters & Editors and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
