Wright-Patt security breach suspect released

Our newsroom is continuing to work to get answers about Tuesday morning’s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base security breach.

• Male who committed breach has been released
• His name, age have not been released
• Breach occurred at Gate 22B about 9:40 a.m. Tuesday
• He was not authorized to be on the base
• FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force responded to the base.

UPDATE @ 2:59 p.m.:

Authorities have released a suspect who got onto Wright-Patterson Air Force Base without authorization Tuesday morning after driving by a gate guard and walking into Building 620, according to a spokesman.

The man, whose name has not been disclosed, was released Tuesday pending a hearing in federal court, Wright-Patterson spokesman Daryl Mayer said Wednesday.

Investigators may take up to a week or more to determine what happened and why and to decide if the suspect should be charged, Mayer said.

Wright-Patterson has not released the man’s name nor his age or area of residence, and only said he was not authorized access to the base.

“I can’t give any identifying information unless and until he is charged,” Mayer said.

Questions lingered over how the suspect got beyond Gate 22B near Interstate 675 and then gained entry on foot into Building 620 in the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Sensor’s Directorate. The incursion caused employees to be evacuated from Buildings 600 and 620 for about three hours and a nearby child development center was ordered to “shelter in place.”

Several law enforcement agencies assisted at the scene including the closure for a time of National Road around the entrance to Gate 19B off National Road.

UPDATE @ 10:02 a.m.:

We have requested a copy of any surveillance video that may have captured yesterday’s incident at the base. Officials said there is video of the incident, but the video is not being released at this time.

UPDATE @ 9:44 a.m.:

Members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force responded to the incident at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base yesterday, according to Rick Smith, supervisory special agent.

Smith could not provide details as to if terrorism is being looked at as a motive and deferred comment on that part of the investigation to base officials.

Smith said it is standard protocol for the task force to respond to an incident like this.

Base officials have previously said they will not speculate on the suspect’s motives until the investigation is complete.

UPDATE @ 9:27 a.m.:

The U.S. Attorney’s Office branch in Dayton confirmed they have been contacted by officials from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in regards to yesterday’s security breach at the base, however no official presentations connected to the incident have been conducted, a spokesperson said.

UPDATE @ 8:45 a.m.:

Base officials said it could take a week or longer until charges are either declined or approved against the suspect in yesterday’s security breach.

“If the individual is charged, the individual’s name and charges will be released,” said Gina Giardina, spokesperson for the base.

The investigation into the incident could take a week or longer until it is complete and will consist of “a complete review of the security measures designed to keep our personnel safe,” Giardina said.

Giardina said the base cannot speculate to the individual’s motives or the base’s internal security measures.

Base officials have not been able to provide answers for how long the suspect was on the base after the breach, when the last time an incident like this occurred, how many officers were involved in the suspect’s apprehension and whether security forces would have been justified in firing upon the suspect.

Those questions are expected to be answered during the base’s investigation into the incident, Giardina said.

UPDATE @ 8:05 a.m. (Nov. 25):

The identity of the suspect from Tuesday’s security breach at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base still has not been released and base officials said they don’t intend to release the man’s name until formal charges are filed.

EARLIER REPORT (Nov. 24)

A man not authorized to be on WPAFB drove through a security gate Tuesday morning and made it into a building before he was detained and taken into custody.

At 9:40 a.m., a male drove through gate 22B, base officials said. His vehicle was located outside Building 600, which is the AFRL facility, according to Gina Giardina, WPAFB Public Affairs Specialist.

“The person was taken into custody inside the facility,” said base spokesperson Brian Ripple. “We don’t know how he was able yet to get into the facility.”

The suspect’s identity has not been released and base officials are still working to determine why the suspect was on the base.

Officials have not said whether any weapons were recovered during the investigation, but did say there were no weapons found in the suspect’s vehicle.

Three buildings were impacted by the security breach, including Buildings 600, 620 and 630.

Building 620 was where the suspect was taken into custody, Building 600 was evacuated and Building 630, a childcare facility, was ordered to take take shelter in place.

At 11:25 a.m., about two hours after the man drove through the security gate, base officials confirmed they completed a sweep of the vehicle and the three impacted buildings.

Nothing was found in the vehicle driven by the male driver who was detained. Base officials confirmed the man had no affiliation with the base and was not authorized to be on the base. Workers evacuated were then allowed back inside. The base force protection condition remains at BRAVO.

Col. John M. Devillier, 88th Air Base Wing and installation commander, was on leave and unavailable for comment, base spokesman Daryl Mayer said.

The man remains in custody and his identity has not been released. The investigation continues and officials are trying to determine if federal charges will follow, Mayer said, noting there was no indication the man had “ill intent.”

We are working to ask base officials how something like this can happen, when so many security processes are in place.

We also are working to find out the suspect’s identity and background information.

We also are asking whether security forces would have been justified to fire upon the suspect.