Shots fired by U.S. military personnel to stop man forcing entry onto British base

[webfact]

Shots fired by U.S. military personnel to stop man forcing entry onto British base

By Chris Radburn

 

British police stand guard at the entrance to the US Air Force base at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, Britain December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Radburn

 

MILDENHALL, England (Reuters) - U.S. military personnel fired shots on Monday as they stopped a man who tried to force his way into a British military base used by the U.S. Air Force, in an incident that police said was not being treated as terrorism.

 

The Mildenhall Royal Air Force base said security staff locked down the base, used by the United States military to refuel U.S. and NATO aircraft in Europe, at about 1300 GMT following reports of a disturbance.

 

"Shots were fired by American service personnel and a man has been detained with cuts and bruises and taken into custody," Suffolk police said. "No other people have been injured as a result of the incident."

 

Police said they were not looking for anyone else on the site after the man, a 44 year-old Briton, was arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass.

 

A Western security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that Suffolk police were taking the lead on the incident and that specialist anti-terrorism officers were not immediately involved.

 

Suffolk Police confirmed in a statement they were not treating the incident as terrorism and were receiving support from other law enforcement agencies while their investigation continued.

 

The U.S. Air Force said the incident at the base, which is about 77 miles (125 km) northeast of London, had been contained and the suspect had been apprehended.

 

Police said they remained on the base but there was no threat to the base or local community.

 

Mildenhall houses the 100th Air Refuelling Wing and some special operations squadrons.

 

The 1,162-acre base, which is home to about 3,100 U.S. military and an additional 3,000 family members, is earmarked for closure after the United States said it was going to move its operations from the base to Germany.

 

The base said in a statement staff had been released from the lockdown about an hour-and-a-half after the incident.

 

"Individuals in the area surrounding the installation are asked to avoid the base at this time," it said.

 

In 2016, a delivery driver was convicted of plotting to kill U.S. troops based in England by staging road accidents with soldiers' cars and then attacking them with knives and possibly a home-made bomb.

 

Prosecutors said Junead Khan had used his job to scout RAF Mildenhall and two other U.S. bases while on carrying out deliveries.

 

(Additional reporting By Michael Holden, Andrew MacAskill and Kate Holton in London, Phil Stewart in Washington and Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Catherine Evans)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-12-19

[Somtamnication]

Not really surprised. Not the first and not the last.

[Rhys]

Lock and load... on the bounce.

[Briggsy]

Police confirm "not terror-related"

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/18/us-air-force-base-suffolk-lockdown-car-tries-force-way/

[chaihot]

I'm only confused by the fact that "shots were fired" yet the suspect was not injured.  That bothers me.

[Rimmer]

A couple of troll posts have been removed.

The police have confirmed this is not a terror related event so please stop trolling that it is until it is confirmed otherwise.

[Rimmer]

I know Mildenhall very well, have often watched the KC135 tankers landing and taking off from the viewing area, other traffic often included C5A Galaxy and C141 Starlifters  , I even saw what must have been the last of the ANG  B29s taking off from there,  also remember when they had a U2 based there in a black hanger fairly close to the wire. 

[sanemax]

2 hours ago, chaihot said:

I'm only confused by the fact that "shots were fired" yet the suspect was not injured.  That bothers me.

Warning shots ?

[champers]

It was the milkman; he fogot the password.

[LennyW]

2 hours ago, chaihot said:

I'm only confused by the fact that "shots were fired" yet the suspect was not injured.  That bothers me.

Because the shots were skilfully fired as a warning by US military personnel, not US cops .....or there would have been half a dozen dead!!

[chaihot]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Warning shots ?

"Warning Shots" are prohibited by all US Armed Forces, as far as I know.  However, I do not have proof to support that statement.  Perhaps someone else has better information than I.

 

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Warning shots ?

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

a man has been detained with cuts and bruises

Looks to be the car windshield was hit by military small arms gunfire in a frontal attack by the accused causing a crash. Hence cuts and bruises.

Maybe reinforce entrance with a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle: 

 

[Basil B]

4 hours ago, chaihot said:

I'm only confused by the fact that "shots were fired" yet the suspect was not injured.  That bothers me.

Could not hit a barn door at 20 yards...

[VocalNeal]

It's fair.  UK RAF regiment would shoot at Americans trying to gain access to a UK base. 

[Basil B]

1 hour ago, champers said:

It was the milkman; he fogot the password.

I hope Santa does not forget the password...