The main gate in front of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in White Settlement was closed on Thursday morning after a man was fatally shot after apparently trying to enter the facility, police said.
According to the White Settlement Police Department, a man arrived at the main gate of the facility near Clifford Street and Spur 341 / Lockheed Boulevard shortly after 5:30 p.m.
At one point during the man’s interaction with security, police said he made “concerned statements” before pulling out a rifle and shooting himself deadly.
No other people were injured in the shooting, police said.
Police Department of the White Village
Police are investigating an apparent suicide at the Lockheed Martin gate in Fort Worth, May 19, 2022.
White Village Police Chief Christopher Cook said his department was called to the gate and worked with several other agencies to respond to the incident.
“Every time you start firing on a defender or in and around a naval airfield, we will have a quick response, which is what happened this morning,” Cook said.
Cook said the man made vague statements about Lockheed Martin’s security while searching for a federal law enforcement agency that could be located in the territory or at the nearby NASJRB.
Ken Ross, a spokesman for Lockheed Martin, said Thursday morning that the man did not want anyone from the aeronautics company.
This situation and incident are safe. @fortworthpd Bomb technicians have not determined that there are no explosive devices in the suspect vehicle. The suspect died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. We are in the process of opening the Lockheed Main Gate for the next two hours. pic.twitter.com/TeCCsGgpSd
– White Settlement PD (@WSPD_TX) May 19, 2022
The man’s statements to security, Cook said, had called in bomb experts from Fort Worth Police Department to take a closer look at the briefcase in the man’s car. Shortly after 10 a.m., police said no explosives were found in the man’s car.
Once the scene is secured, the man’s remains will be handed over to the Taranto County Medical Examiner for official identification. Cook said they had a preliminary identity of the man and that agents and officers visited people familiar to the person on Thursday morning and found that there were no other threats to the community.
“Every place we checked, we did not find any additional threats. “We don’t believe there are any constant threats to the naval air station or Lockheed Martin,” Cook said. “So we’re playing it safe right now, being very careful when it comes to making sure there are no explosive devices in the vehicle.”
Police Department of the White Village
Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility is adjacent to the Fort Worth Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base and is where the airline is building the F-35 Lightning II, the world’s most advanced military strike fighter. Thousands of employees work at the facility every day.
As the investigation progresses, the facility remains open to employees. The gate of Spur 341 to the north is closed and employees must enter the facility through alternate gates, police said. The closed gate is expected to open before noon.
If you are considering suicide or if you know someone who is considering suicide, you can call 1-800-273-8255 (SPEECH) for help. En Espanol: Red Nacional de Prevencion del Suicidio 1-888-628-9454. An online chat option has been added HERE. Additional resources for suicide prevention are available HERE.
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