USS Mahan Shooting: Two Men Killed Aboard Guided-Missile Destroyer

Two men aboard the USS Mahan, a guided-missile destroyer located at the world’s largest naval base, were killed on Monday, according to an official statement released by the Navy.

A sailor was shot by the suspect, who was then shot and killed by security forces on the vessel. It was reported that the suspect, who was a civilian, had access to be at the Naval Station Norfolk. While no other injuries were reported, the base was put on lockdown until the scene was secure.

Fortunately, operations have returned to normal at the base with counselors on hand for any sailors who wish to speak to them. Most of the sailors enlisted on the USS Mahan were told not to report for duty on Tuesday.

The USS Mahan shooting comes just a few months after an incident back in September at the Washington Navy yard in which a gunman shot and killed 12 civilian workers before he could be stopped from his killing rampage.

The naval base in Norfolk is massive, spanning 6,000 acres and is home to more than 64 navy ships. Roughly 46,000 military personnel and 21,000 civilian employees work at the base, according to the Navy.

Back in February, the base where the USS Mahan is stationed, got a new commanding officer. Capt. Robert E. Clark Jr. took over from Capt. David A Culler Jr., who served at the instillation for many years.

The USS Mahan itself, which was commissioned in 1998, has a crew of around 300 people and in September of 2013 it returned from its deployment in the eastern Mediterranean Sea where it stood poised for an attack against Syria.

It remains to be seen what the motive was for the shooting aboard the USS Mahan on Monday as authorities carry out a full investigation into the incident.