By This is something that could have turned ugly real fast:
An Air Force police officer stationed at Osan Air Base was arrested Friday morning after allegedly leaving base with a loaded handgun.
The incident sent local police rushing to set up armed roadblocks in the area, according to South Korean news reports.
A spokeswoman for Osan’s 51st Fighter Wing, 1st Lt. Malinda C. Singleton, would not give the airman’s name Friday, saying the matter was “under investigation.”
No one was injured as result of the incident, she said.
Singleton said the airman first class was assigned to the wing’s police unit, the 51st Security Forces Squadron.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency Friday identified the airman as a 21-year-old named Walker. It said he left base shortly after 11:30 p.m. with a handgun loaded with 30 rounds.
He was off duty at the time but had allegedly volunteered for temporary night duty so that he could be issued a loaded weapon, according to the Yonhap report.
He allegedly phoned his wife and said he had a gun, Yonhap reported, and she contacted authorities. [Stars & Stripes]
Fortunately authorities it appears was able to stop this guy before something really tragic happened.
I don’t know what it is about Osan and their security forces because they continue to make headlines with personnel getting in trouble from everything from corruption, a video scandal, and even drugs.
9:54 pm on January 30th, 2009 1
The first thing I would do is file for divorce. Regardless of his intentions, she ensured this guy lost his job and went to jail not to mention the Korean's could have shot him on sight and killed him. Again, regardless of his intentions.
11:59 pm on January 30th, 2009 2
We all know it's a national emergency when there is a report of someone running loose with an unauthorized gun in Korea. Osan leadership and maybe USFK are going the get public heat from the Koreans for their arms issue vetting and control procedures.But then again, the last time there was a serious off base incident with an Osan SP, the town patrol commander, of the many charges against him, one in particular was quickly swept under the rug and never explained. It was reported that he had a personal gun collection in his off base apartment. There was likely an agreement made to stifle that issue before it got too much public attention. It may be rehashed again now.
3:32 am on January 31st, 2009 3
I thought I read in Korean media that the Airman was Korean-American. I can not locate the article in the web.
10:00 am on January 31st, 2009 4
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/200…..
1:04 pm on January 31st, 2009 5
Good article. I feel safer knowing they caught this soldier-MP stationed at Osan but living in a barracks in Pyongtaek. At least he was only carrying a 7mm pistol instead of the 22.2% more deadly 9mm pistol. That should get him some leniency. Stars & Stripes clarified things with "a handgun loaded with 30 rounds." If I am to believe everything I read, this guy must have been in some kind of elite unit, running around with an exotic 7mm pistol and a 30 round extended magazine.Who do they hire as reporters these days? Guys who wash out from military cop school?I swear, I can't read anything in the press these days without finding glaring mistakes. Is the population so dumbed down they don't know or so addicted to mindless entertainment that they don't care?Please. Someone. Answer my lonely call from the dark.
4:45 pm on January 31st, 2009 6
Maybe what they meant to say and should have said instead of "a handgun loaded with 30 rounds" was "a loaded handgun AND 30 rounds." "7mm" LOL.
6:32 pm on January 31st, 2009 7
rounds 30 gun Osan block,,? mother capture police,time call! Security, authorities; look block block block surrender" Stop 7mm drive hello BANANA SPLIT, BANANA SPLIT!!!!! I have seen a 7mm pistol with a 30 round magazine. It was fitted to a 9 gauge shotgun that fired jello. Combined, the weapon system could specifically target Philadelphia Cream Cheese within 100 meters and Italian Sausage with pin-point accuracy to 20 salad bars!
8:35 pm on January 31st, 2009 8
Seems the command at Osan should be more concerned with policing themselves rather than the Korean populace…