A few more details from last night's shooting. I had a bad feeling earlier, now I'm feeling I might have been right. I'll explain later.
First, no names have been released yet but the subject (I refuse to call this asshole a "suspect") used his own passes to get on the base and apparently was not armed, his ID was checked at the base gate and his car and body could have been searched at that point. These people are Navy Master at Arms and are armed. He also used his pass to get past the sentry at the shore end of Pier #1. He then approached the brow (gangway) of USS
Mahan.
He was challenged by the Petty Officer of the Watch who he managed to disarm and then killed another sailor. It's not crystal clear at the moment who was shot and killed except it was stated this was someone else responding to the fight. At this point the subject was shot and killed by other security personnel, I presume by the Officer of the Deck. In my day the OOD was not armed but this apparently changed at some point since I retired. Also in my day the POOW, while armed would not be allowed to load and lock but keep his 2 magazines out of the pistol, but stowed in a carrier on his belt.
At this point I don't know if the watchstanders on the pier are armed or not.
The only other ship at Pier #1 at the time was the USNS
Comfort hospital ship, in caretaker status with skeleton crew. As this crew is all civilian I suspect she is the excuse the subject gave to get onto the pier at nearly midnight, "going to work."
This could have been much worse if my "bad feeling" is confirmed.
My first thought was someone trying to emulate the shooter at the Washington Navy Yard.
If he had gotten past the Quarterdeck Watch, perhaps by killing the OOD and taking his weapon and magazines as well as the POOW's, the subject would have had 2 M-9 Beretta pistols and 4 highcap magazines. Only about 1/3 of Mahan's crew would be aboard (about 100 people) and many of those not on watch would likely be in their racks or getting ready to turn in.
Most berthing areas for enlisted aboard a destroyer would be in 30 to 50 bunk compartments (5 or 6 compartments) below the main deck, officers in 2 or 4 "man" staterooms in the Wardroom area.
If the subject was familiar with the Arleigh Burke class destroyer he would know where these compartments are. They aren't hard to find.
None of the people in the berthing areas would be armed.
I have no idea if there are any armed security besides those on the Quarterdeck. In my day the only other armed personnel would be the sentry on watch at the entry to the ASROC magazine if that magazine was open and personnel inside because this is the space where (in destroyers and cruisers at that time) nuclear weapons could be stored or deployed from as depth charges. This sentry would be FORBIDDEN to leave his post FOR ANY REASON including one like this. We ALWAYS acted as if there was one or more in the magazine.
One other possible source of armed help might be a member of the Master at Arms force (ship's "sheriff") though I do not know how many would be aboard (at least 1 per duty section I would hope) but again, I don't know if this individual would be armed or not.
Yeah, I'm thinking this dude might have been a "lone wolf" terrorist like the Navy Yard or Ft Hood shooters. Fortunately Mahan's people proved to not be totally complacent or helpless.
See, even sailors can learn (thank God.)
Whoever it was who dropped that son of a bitch deserves a BIG attaboy (or attagirl(?)). A former SEAL I stood watch with in
Nassau once told me that if you can keep your head when bullets are flying and respond as you've been trained then you've done your trainers proud as I think this individual has.
I stood watch inport as Officer of the Deck in both USS
Caron and USS
Nassau.
