A sailor shot two employees on Wednesday at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard before turning his gun on himself. Investigators are still searching for a motive in the bizarre shooting. The shooting occurred at Drydock 2 on Wednesday, confusing and scrambling the usually tight-knit Pearl Harbor community.
The shooting appears to have come out of nowhere, according to investigators who are looking into the situation. A motive has yet to be determined. Two of the gunshot victims, both male, were rushed to the hospital in critical condition but have since died.
The shooter turned his gun on himself after hitting three drydock employees and killing two. The other employee was rushed to the hospital and has survived his injuries. At the time of this writing, the identity of the victims has been withheld.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and everyone involved,” stated commander of Navy Region Hawaii, Rear Admiral Robert Chadwick. “This is certainly a tragedy for everyone here.” The rear admiral stated that the motive was unclear, and it’s not known if the shooter knew his three victims or if they were chosen at random.
All but vital personnel were sent home Wednesday, and the base stayed on a skeleton crew through Thursday. Normal operations are set to resume on Friday following the investigation of the physical evidence on hand.
Shipyard Commander Captain Greg Burton stated “I know that no words will convey the full measure of sorrow from today’s tragedy. This loss will be felt throughout our shipyard ‘Ohana, greater shipyard & NAVSEA family, submarine force, and the Navy as a whole.”
Personnel and family affected by this loss are being offered counseling services should they want to talk about what happened. The emergency family center on the base has been opened and will stay open until further notice for those in need of help.
“Looking ahead, we will honor the life and legacy of those lost,” Captain Burton continued. “Even now, as we mourn the loss of members of our ‘Ohana, please take the opportunity to reconnect with each other and to reinforce and strengthen the bonds with each other. We value each one of you deeply and we are here for you.”
