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Military officials offer few details in Pearl Harbor fatal shooting; motive still unknown

Sophie Cocke
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Video by Leila Fujimori / lfujimori@staradvertiser.com
Watch a Facebook live video of a news conference about the shipyard shooting.
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Rear Admiral Robb Chadwick, commander of Navy Region Hawaii, (at the podium) discusses Wednesday’s fatal shooting at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard during a news conference this morning at the Federal Fire Department headquarters near Pearl Harbor.
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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Rear Admiral Robb Chadwick, commander of Navy Region Hawaii, (at the podium) discusses Wednesday’s fatal shooting at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard during a news conference this morning at the Federal Fire Department headquarters near Pearl Harbor.

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Rear Admiral Robb Chadwick, commander of Navy Region Hawaii, (at the podium) discusses Wednesday’s fatal shooting at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard during a news conference this morning at the Federal Fire Department headquarters near Pearl Harbor.

Top Navy and law enforcement officials expressed their condolences to the families of the victims of Wednesday’s shooting at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard that left three dead, but provided few details during a news conference this morning about the incident which remains under investigation.

While the media has reported that the shooter, Gabriel Antonio Romero, 22, had been facing disciplinary action, Navy officials refused to comment on those reports other than to say it was something they were investigating.

Romero was on active duty when he opened fire on civilian workers using his service weapon at about 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Within about 23 seconds, Romero had shot three people before turning his gun on himself, said officials.

>> SEE ALSO: Medical examiner releases IDs of Pearl Harbor shooting victims, gunman

He was armed for his job standing watch and providing security for the submarine USS Columbia, which is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for maintenance, officials said.

Romero died at the scene. Two of his victims died, while another remains in stable condition.

Evidence has been collected from Romero’s vehicle and barrack’s room, said Rear Admiral Robert Chadwick, commander of Navy Region Hawaii.

He said investigators are looking at his electronic media to try to determine a motive for the shooting.

Those killed in the shooting include:

>> Vincent J. Kapoi, 30 of Hawaii. Kapoi was a metals inspector apprentice at the shipyard

>> Roldan A. Agustin, 49, of Hawaii. Agustin was a shop planner at the shipyard

“I’d like to express my sincere condolences to the family members and friends of the deceased after Wednesday’s tragic events,” said Kenji Price, U. S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii. “I know that this atrocity will leave scars in the hearts of many. Our Navy, the state of Hawaii and the country as a whole will be left with memories of innocent lives lost and a state of emptiness that will permeate our hearts.”

Military officials said there’s no evidence of domestic terrorism in the shooting.

A shooting today at the Naval Air Station Pensacola is being investigated as possible terrorism. Authorities said that Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, a member of the Saudi military and an aviation student at the Florida base, opened fire in a classroom this morning, killing three people and injuring several more. The shooter also died in the attack.


The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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