Security officer at Florida's MacDill Air Force Base fires on civilian armed with wrench, officials say

Tony Marrero, Tampa Bay Times on Sep 28, 2026

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TAMPA, Fla. — A security officer at MacDill Air Force Base fired on a civilian intruder Saturday after the person breached the Tampa base’s perimeter, officials said.

The incident happened about 1 p.m. when an “assailant” armed with a wrench breached the base’s perimeter, according to information released Monday by the public affairs office of the 6th Air Refueling Wing. At least one base security officer responded.

“The Officer fired at the assailant following escalation of force procedures,” officials said in a statement.

Both the officer and the assailant were taken to the hospital with injuries that officials said were not life-threatening.

The statement did not specify whether the assailant was shot during the encounter, and a spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Tampa Bay Times request for that information.

Officials have not released the assailant’s name or what criminal charges the person is facing. The incident remained under investigation Monday.

The base closed its gate on South Dale Mabry Highway after the incident and reopened it by about 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Saturday’s incident is the latest security-related episode at the base this year.

On March 16, an airman found an undetonated pipe bomb at MacDill’s visitor center, six days after the Tampa Police Department received a 911 call stating that a bomb had been planted at the base. Two siblings, Alen Zheng and Ann Mary Zheng, face federal charges in connection with that incident.

Two days after the bomb was discovered, a Palm Harbor man called MacDill’s main line and made violent threats, officials said. Johnathan James Elder was later arrested on a charge of making a threat by means of an explosive. The case is not related to the investigation involving the Zhengs, authorities said.

Both cases are still pending.

On April 10, the MacDill Inn, a hotel on the base, was evacuated for a few hours after the base received an unspecified security threat. Officials did not release details about the threat.

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