An active-duty airman assigned to the Air Force Base in Cheyenne was found dead Wednesday morning, the base said in a statement.
The airman was assigned to the 90th Missile Wing and was found dead on the base in an incident that is under investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations “and appropriate base authorities,” says the statement.
Base officials aren’t saying whether a weapon was involved.
Airmen serving the local base have been involved in at least four prior gunshot injury or death incidents this year.
The 90th Missile Wing’s public affairs division is not releasing further information on the Wednesday death at present, “to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.”
An attendant in the office of Laramie County Coroner Rebecca Reid said Reid would have no comment and would not release any information.
Col. Terrance Holmes, 90th Missile Wing commander, is quoted in the wing’s statement offering condolences and urging anyone needing help to seek it.
“It is with deep sadness that we face the loss of a member of the Mighty Ninety and on behalf of our entire team, I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the lost individual,” said Holmes. “Please know that the 90th Missile Wing provides several support services to families and Airmen in need. I implore anyone needing support during this sensitive time, or any other time, to seek help immediately.”
The name of the airman is being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification, in accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, says the statement, adding, “Additional information will be released as it becomes available and appropriate.”
This was an isolated incident and there is no danger to the general public, the statement concludes.
The Four Earlier Incidents
Police have deemed a Wyoming-based airman the shooter in a Sept. 30 murder-suicide and domestic violence incident in Fort Collins. The woman injured in that incident died one day after the airman did, the Fort Collins Police Service said Monday.
That marked at least the fourth shooting incident involving either injury or death and local airmen in about six months.
In March, local Air Force members shooting targets in Platte County shot and injured a Verizon cell tower worker. Platte County Sheriff David Russell told Cowboy State Daily in August his office was still waiting for ballistics data pertaining to that case.
A Wyoming-based airman was shot and killed July 20 in an event that initially cast scrutiny on the Sig Sauer M18 pistol, but later prompted the arrest of another airman on suspicion of manslaughter.
And in August, both the suspected shooter and decedent in an alleged manslaughter were identified as local airmen in a case that is ongoing in Laramie County District Court.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
