Pensacola naval base gunman ID’d as Saudi Air Force trainee, death toll rises

Four people were killed in a mass shooting at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, Friday after a gunman opened fire. He was killed by police, and three additional people have died.

Citing a U.S. Military official, the New York Times reports that the gunman has been identified as Second Lt. Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told the newspaper that the suspect was a trainee with the Saudi Air Force.

The base’s commanding officer told the New York Times that the base in Pensacola has historically hosted international students for training, and that roughly 200 foreign students are enrolled in the training program.

Officials who spoke to the newspaper and other media outlets appear to have conflicting opinions on whether the shooting should be considered a terrorist attack. Representative Matt Gaetz told a local news station that “We can safely call this an act of terrorism, not an act of workplace violence.”

But an FBI spokesperson told the Washington Post they were still investigating whether the deadly shooting will be classified as a terrorist act.

As the Washington Post reports, several more people were wounded in the shooting, and the exact number is not yet known.

The deceased victims have not been identified, and it is not known if they were civilians or service members.

CrimeOnline will provide further updates when more information is available.

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