Military

Navy Corpsman Shot at Fort Detrick After Wounding Two Nearby

April 6, 2021Matt White
Fort Detrick shooting by Navy hospital corpsman

A Navy sailor shot two men before being killed by police on Fort Detrick in Maryland. Screen grab from WUSA9 video feed.

A Navy hospital corpsman shot two men and then was killed at Fort Detrick in Maryland, about an hour north of Washington Tuesday morning. Both men are reported to be in critical condition at Baltimore-area hospitals.


Officials with the Navy and local police confirmed that a 38-year-old sailor, whose name has not been released, shot two men at an office park about 10 minutes away from the base. He then drove to Fort Detrick where, officials with the base said, he was killed by base police. 




Frederick Police Department Chief Jason Lando said police responded at 8:20 a.m. to reports of gunfire at the site of the initial shooting, several miles northeast of the base. There officers found the two victims. News helicopters captured images of first responders gathered near a white Ford pickup with its doors open that appeared to have run off the road.


Fort Detrick
Overhead picture of an abandoned pickup truck near Fort Detrick, where police were investigating. Screen grab from WUSA9 video feed.

Fort Detrick is a hub for research on a wide range of diseases, including developing national defenses to deadly pathogens. The base houses the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, a military-focused research center often compared with the Centers for Disease Control, which studies and works with pathogens ranging from crop fungus to Ebola and COVID-19. For much of the Cold War, Detrick housed US biological weapons programs. The base also is home to the Department of Homeland Security’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center and the National Cancer Institute.


A tweet from the US Navy account said, “The U.S. Navy can confirm there was an active shooter incident at Fort Detrick, MD involving U.S. Navy Sailors. The shooter, a Navy Hospital Corpsman, is deceased. We will continue to update with additional details as the situation evolves.”


Update 4:30 p.m.: Base officials identified the shooter as PO3 Fantahun Girma Woldesenbet. An official said Woldesenbet shot two men at a Navy-run location with a rifle, then went to Detrick. He initially entered the base past security, officials said, but was shot when base police saw the weapon.


One of the men shot by Woldesenbet is likely to be released on Wednesday, officials said. The other remains in serious condition.


Read Next: VA Study: COVID Vaccine Immunity Lasts At Least 7 Months



Matt White
Matt White

Matt White is a former senior editor for Coffee or Die Magazine. He was a pararescueman in the Air Force and the Alaska Air National Guard for eight years and has more than a decade of experience in daily and magazine journalism.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Coffee Or Die Photo
Get Your Viking On: The Exclusive 30 Sec Out BRCC Shirt Club Design

Thirty Seconds Out has partnered with BRCC for an exclusive shirt design invoking the God of Winter.

Grizzly Forge BRCC shirt
Limited Edition: Grizzly Forge Blades on an Awesome BRCC Shirt

Lucas O'Hara of Grizzly Forge has teamed up with BRCC for a badass, exclusive Shirt Club T-shirt design featuring his most popular knife and tiomahawk.

BRCC Limited Edition Josh Raulerson Blackbeard Skull Shirt
From Naval Service to Creative Canvas: BRCC Veteran Artist Josh Raulerson

Coffee or Die sits down with one of the graphic designers behind Black Rifle Coffee's signature look and vibe.

Medal of Honor is held up.
Biden Will Award Medal of Honor to Army Helicopter Pilot Who Rescued Soldiers in Vietnam Firefight

Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.

dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2024 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved