Several shooting victims reported at Lackland air base in Texas

Updates will follow.

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SAN ANTONIO, April 8 (Reuters) - Several people were shot at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio on Friday, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies from the county that includes San Antonio were inside the base and the scene was still active, the office said in a tweet.

Parts of the base were placed on lockdown, including three schools, the sheriff's office said.

Military police and sheriff's deputies were clearing out buildings. Authorities also ordered people at a nearby industrial complex to stay in their buildings.

SAN ANTONIO, April 8 (Reuters) - Two people were killed in an apparent murder-suicide at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio on Friday that triggered a lockdown at the facility, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office said.

"It's over," Bexar County Sheriff's office spokesman James Keith said, adding that deputies were still on the scene.

The commanding officer of the 331st K-9 Training Squadron at the base was shot by an airman, according to the Air Force Times, an independent news outlet, citing on internal Pentagon communications.

Neither person was immediately identified.

The incident took place at the Medina annex at the facility, where dog training takes place.

Keith said the sheriff's office did not believe there were other victims but deputies were searching buildings "out of an abundance of caution."

The sheriff's office had responded to reports of a shooter at the base.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had been called to assist.

Parts of the base were locked down as a result of the incident, including nearby schools, the sheriff's office said.

Authorities also ordered people at a nearby industrial complex to stay in their buildings.

The Air Force has identified the two airmen killed in Friday's apparent murder-suicide shooting at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

Lt. Col. William A. Schroeder, the commander of the 342nd Training Squadron at the 37th Training Wing at Lackland, and Technical Sgt. Steven D. Bellino, a pararescue student at the 342nd, were found dead by first responders, the 502nd Air Base Wing at Lackland said in a Saturday release.

An Air Force official said that Bellino is believed to be the alleged gunman.

"The 37th Training Wing mourns the loss of our airmen and family members," wing commander Brig. Gen. Trent Edwards said in the release. "Our primary focus at this time is to take care of the family and the men and women who are grieving our losses. A tragedy of this type is felt by each and every member, but we will pull together to help our own."

In a post on the 37th's official Facebook page, Edwards eulogized Schroeder.

"I worked closely with Lt Col Schroeder; and my wife Vanessa and I knew his family," Edwards said on Facebook. "He was an amazing Airman, father and husband. Our focus at this time is to take care of Lt Col Schroeder's family who is here in the local area. He leaves behind a wife and two small children — we will care for and comfort them as best we can. We will also take care of the family members and friends who are grieving the loss of TSgt Bellino."

Edwards said the Air Force is investigating the deaths with FBI support, and asked people not to speculate on social media about what happened.

"It's simply unfair to the family members and friends who are grieving and searching for answers," Edwards said.


The 342nd is the squadron dedicated to entry-level training for all battlefield airmen, such as pararescuemen, combat controllers, special operations weather airmen, and Tactical Air Control Party airmen. The shooting took place in a first-floor office in building 147 of the Medina Annex at Lackland.

Bellino, 41, of Parma Heights, Ohio, had been a 1T2 pararescueman student at the 342nd since he entered active duty in June 2015, according to information released by the Air Force.

Schroeder, 39, of Ames, Iowa, had run the 342nd since May 2014. Schroeder, whose primary career field was as a J15W3 weather officer, previously was commander of the 10th Combat Weather Squadron at Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

Schroeder entered active duty in July 1999 and had earned a Bronze Star, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and three Meritorious Service Medals, according to the Air Force.

Attempts to reach the families of the deceased were unsuccessful.

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(Reuters) - A U.S. airman who apparently shot and killed his commanding officer at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and then turned the gun on himself was a former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, the FBI said on Sunday.

Air Force Technical Sergeant Steven D. Bellino was an FBI agent for less than two years when he resigned in May 2013, an agency spokesman said in an email.

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More at https://ca.news.yahoo.com/u-airman-s...160656740.html

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