Civilian Breaches Florida Air Force Base Fence, Fights Officers

A civilian walked right through the fence at a Florida air force base and then fought with officers who arrived to stop him. The 6th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office confirmed this breach at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa around 1pm on Saturday. That unauthorized person pushed past the perimeter before engaging police violently. Authorities detained the intruder after that physical struggle. Both the civilian and responding officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the chaos. Medical teams took both parties away for care immediately. Officials have not released the name of the arrested individual or explained why he was there.

The Tampa location houses US Central Command headquarters alongside more than 7,400 active duty military members. MacDill Air Force Base posted on Facebook shortly before 2:30pm Eastern time that the Dale Mabry Gate was closed to all traffic until further notice. They asked people to avoid the area while things settled down. The base noted that the Bayshore Gate remained open for access during this incident. An investigation is currently ongoing into these events.

Normally, the Dale Mabry Gate stays open twenty-four hours a day throughout the week according to base records. Meanwhile, the air force base usually keeps the Bayshore Gate closed on Saturdays and Sundays. This specific closure happens despite US Central Command overseeing operations against Iran from this site. A public calendar for Saturday listed only one event: a library fall festival running from 11am to 1pm. There is no sign that the fight and arrest connected to that gathering in any way.

MacDill Air Force Base has faced other security problems this year alone. On March 10, Alen Zheng, age twenty, was charged with trying to detonate an improvised explosive at the visitor's center. He failed to set off the device which law enforcement safely disassembled later. The visitor's center sits near the Dale Mabry entrance gate as well. This previous incident forced evacuations after a caller mentioned plans to blow up that same location. Ann Mary Zheng, age twenty-seven, faced charges for allegedly helping her brother flee capture. He is believed to be currently in China right now.

Eight days after Alen Zheng's alleged attempt at the visitor center, thirty-five-year-old Jonathan James Elder called MacDill Air Force Base directly. He asked how people liked the surprise at the MacDill Visitor Center according to a complaint cited by the US Attorney's Office. Tick tick boom he yelled and added it would be between your eyes based on legal documents. That threat caused gates to close immediately while personnel sheltered in place for roughly four hours. Other than US Central Command, this base also serves as headquarters for US Special Operations Command and Marine Corps Forces Central Command.