An Airman in Texas is dead after he shot himself during an armed confrontation with police.
Abilene Police attempted to make contact with the Dyess AFB-based servicemember on Saturday after being told that he was in danger of harming himself.
Dyess Air Force Base identified the airman as Staff Sgt. Ryan Lee Blair, 23.
After knocking on the door, the Airman approached APD SWAT officers with a rifle and a handgun and took aim at police. In response, a SWAT supervisor opened fire, striking the Airman.
As SWAT officers held a perimeter around the house, the Airman crawled into some bushes and took his own life.
According to the Air Force Times, Abilene Police Chief Stan Standridge said the Airman was planning to hang himself when police received the call and reportedly had “despondency issues” because he was being investigated for drunk driving.
The Texas Rangers and the USAF Office of Special Investigations are looking into the matter, and the SWAT officer who opened fire has been placed on leave.
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Very sad. I wonder if the climate of “one mistake and you’re out” has bearing on all these suicides? Airman have no hope of recovering from poor decisions.
Driving drunk is a dangerous thing to do, but, we don’t know all of the facts. He was despondant and being investigated for drunk driving…wtf? There is an investigation (by whom?) for something that happened or what? Was his supervisor and other leadership trying to help get him thru this. He’s was 23, where was his wingman? Please update this report, something isn’t right here.
Yeah, unless you are wealthy, common folks never get a second, third, fourth and even a fifth chance