[Fox 5 SD] A person was shot and killed at an entrance to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego Friday, authorities said.The gunfire was reported near the depot’s Washington Street entrance, off Pacific Highway, according to San Diego Police Department. One person was killed, base officials told police.
The attack happened on federal property and military law enforcement will be leading the investigation, an SDPD watch commander explained, so there weren’t further details immediately available. FOX 5 has reached out to a Marine Corps spokesperson for comment on what led up to the shooting.
Located just north of San Diego International Airport, the MCRD serves as a first training stop for enlisted recruits entering the U.S. Marine Corps on the West Coast.
The Washington Street entrance, Gate 5, is used for visitor traffic, according to MCRD’s website. That area was marked off with crime scene tape and a small SUV could be seen sitting with its doors open in one of the lanes. A tarp covered the body of the person who was shot a short distance away, under the gate’s awning, where there are security kiosks to check in visitors.
As the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Andrew Dyer reported Friday, the depot is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a Marine Corps base this year. A spokesperson told Dyer that a new exhibit is opening at a depot museum to mark the centennial, but that due to the coronavirus pandemic, public access is currently limited to recruit graduation days.
It wasn’t immediately clear if a public event was being held at the time of the shooting.
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The incident happened around 11:50 a.m., when a vehicle attempted to board the base at the Gate 5 checkpoint, according to MCRD officials.
As base personnel issued verbal commands for the vehicle to stop, MCRD officials said the person exited their vehicle and approached the employees with a knife. Several warnings were given to the person, who MCRD officials said possessed “hostile intent,” and the person was shot by base personnel. Emergency services were called and the person was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:16 p.m., base officials confirmed.