A series of gunfire exchanges took place at the main entrance gate of Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in the early hours of Saturday, according to a spokesperson for the base. The incident unfolded when an unidentified individual fired shots toward Air Force security personnel stationed at the entrance gate around 2:30 a.m. The security personnel immediately reported the incident, leading to heightened security protocols being put into effect, as stated by the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD).

Later, at approximately 5:00 a.m., a sedan halted near the same entrance gate and shots were fired at Air Force personnel. In response, the security personnel engaged in an exchange of gunfire with the shooter. Washington Moscoso, a spokesperson for SAPD, mentioned that the security personnel reported hearing several shots fired as well as seeing rounds pass by them. As a precautionary measure, additional armed guards were deployed following the incident.

Fortunately, no injuries have been reported as a result of the exchange of gunfire with a passing vehicle that occurred around 4:30 a.m., according to the Associated Press. The motive behind the shooting, the number of shooters involved, and the total number of rounds fired remain unknown at this time. Antonio Antosh, an official at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, clarified that the incident did not pose an active threat to the installation and reiterated that there is no active threat currently.

During the incident, the entrance gate was temporarily closed to all personnel from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. However, the base itself did not go into lockdown mode. Joint Base San Antonio, which encompasses not only Lackland Air Force base but also Randolph Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston, and the Camp Bullis training camp, plays a vital role in military operations.

Lackland Air Force base, as mentioned on its official website, houses a total of more than 24,000 active-duty members and 10,000 Department of Defense civilians. Texas military bases have been no stranger to shootings in the past, including the tragic Fort Hood shooting in 2009, where 13 people lost their lives and 30 others were injured. In 2020, there was another incident at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi where a gunman attempted to breach a security gate, resulting in injuries to a soldier. The assailant was subsequently neutralized by security personnel. Additionally, in 2016, an airman tragically took the life of his commander before turning the gun on himself at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

Authorities are actively investigating the recent shooting incident at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, aiming to gather more information surrounding the incident and identify any potential motives.