Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: US Navy Sailor, Gabriel Antonio Romero, Opened Fire, Killed Two Department of Defense Workers, and then Killed Himself at the Naval Shipyard

December 9, 2019 in News by RBN Staff

 

Source: Need To Know | 

Gabriel Antonio Romero, 22, an active-duty US Navy sailor, opened fire at the Pearl Harbor Naval shipyard last Wednesday and shot three civilian workers with a rifle, and then turned his service pistol on himself. Romero was up for a captain’s mast, a military criminal proceeding that is below a court martial. He had taken anger management classes, yet was assigned to armed guard duty. The attack took place just three days before the 78th anniversary of the the bombing on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, by the Japanese , which led to the United States joining the fight in World War II.
Gabriel Romero was identified as the U.S. sailor who shot three Department of Defense civilian workers at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, killing two. Another victim is being treated at a local hospital. Romero, 22, then killed himself with his service gun.Romero, a submariner, was officially identified by the military Friday. He was on-duty at the time of the shooting and was assigned to stand watch on his submarine, officials said during press conference. Prior to the shooting, he faced disciplinary problems at work, according to Hawaii News Now. He was also enrolled in anger management courses.

Romero was an active-duty member of the U.S. Navy. He was assigned to the USS Columbia, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine. He used his service weapon to commit the shooting, firing shots at three civilians, killing two and injuring a third.

The shipyard was on lockdown for nearly two hours on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, starting about 2:15 p.m. local time. The access gates were closed. The lockdown was lifted about 4:10 p.m. The shooting occurred near Drydock 2, one of the four shipyards on the base. The base is located about 8 miles from Honolulu. All three of the victims were male shipyard workers.

The military was offering support to the families of the victims while the U.S. Navy led the investigation, according to Rear Admiral Robert Chadwick, commander of Navy Region Hawaii. One of the victims has been identified as 30-year-old Vincent Kapoi Jr., family members and friends say. The second victim was identified by family members as Roldan Agustin.

Romero was an active duty member of the U.S. Navy. He was assigned to the USS Columbia, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine.

Text alerts and a PA system alerted base personnel to the shooting and warned them to take cover. The situation was still “unfolding,” nearly one hour after the incident began. About 3:30 p.m. local time, officials said that the suspect, later identified as Gabriel Romero, had been “secured.” A shipyard worker told Honolulu Civil Beat that he heard emergency sirens go off about 2 p.m., but did not receive a DOD text alert until about an hour later.

The shooting at Pearl Harbor occurred just three days before the 78th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor that prompted the United States to join World War II. Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. A total of 1,177 crew members were killed on the U.S. Arizona. The attack prompted the United States to declare war on Japan. Shortly afterward, the U.S. declared war on Germany. The shooting occurred about a mile from the site of the national memorial.

Few details about Romero have been released so far. As of Friday, officials have declined to release basic information about Romero, including his photo and hometown.

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