Air Force base is targeted by multiple gunmen in drive-by shooting as security guards return fire

U.S. Air Force security guards exchanged gunfire with someone who opened fire at an entrance to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland on Saturday morning.

No injuries were reported after the guards returned fire at a passing vehicle at an entrance to the Texas base at around 4:30 a.m.

Spokesperson Stefanie Antosh told the San Antonio Express-News that it was not clear how many rounds were fired, how many shooters there were, or their motive.

Antosh told the outlet: 'We don't know what, if anything, started it. But it wasn't an active threat to the installation, and there is no active threat to the installation.'

Due to the incident, the entrance had to be closed for several hours following the shooting, but the base was not locked down. 

No injuries were reported after the guards returned fire at a passing vehicle at an entrance to the Texas base, seen here, at around 4:30 a.m

San Antonio Police also responded to the base due to the shooting and are said to have helped collect evidence, according to the outlet.

In addition to Lackland, Joint Base San Antonio includes Randolph Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston and the Camp Bullis training camp.

Lackland is home to more than 24,000 active duty members and 10,000 Department of Defense civilians, according to the base website. 

It includes the 37th Training Wing; 149th Fighter Wing; 59th Medical Wing; the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency; 24th Air Force Wing, 67th Network Warfare Wing; the Cryptologic Systems Group; the National Security Agency; and 70 associated units.

Airman Aaron Bushnell, who killed himself by setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in DC earlier this year, had previously worked at the base. 

He had worked in the service as a cyber defense operations specialist, having joined in May 2020

The US Air Force officer cried out 'Free Palestine' while standing outside the Israeli Embassy in what he described as 'extreme act of protest'.