One man was killed and another man injured late Monday when they drove a stolen car through the Luke Air Force Base security gate and were shot by guards there, officials said.
The stolen vehicle broke through the gate about midnight and was about to cross a bridge that connects the two parts of the base when the shooting occurred, said Capt. Jerry Gonzalez, a spokesman for Luke. Base security had set up a barricade on the bridge and at least one of the guards opened fire when the vehicle drove toward the security personnel, authorities said.
Authorities said the two men were headed to the operational side of the military base, including where aircraft training is carried out.
"We take security very seriously here," Gonzalez said. "These guys made a mistake by stumbling into the base.
"Without knowing what their intentions were, our security forces personnel reacted to it and took care of it."
The men were believed to be connected somehow to another stolen another vehicle that Maricopa County Sherriff's deputies had pulled over minutes earlier near Litchfield and Cactus Roads, said Glendale police Officer Karen Gerardo.
An unknown number of passengers were in the first vehicle and they were arrested without incident by deputies, Gerardo said.
The second vehicle with the two men was not pursued by law enforcement and continued on, at some point turning into Luke for reasons that were unclear, Gerardo said.
It was unknown how long ago the vehicles had been reported stolen, or the status of the first vehicle's occupants.
The Air Force base is currently not locked down, but Gonzalez said Glendale police are continuing their investigation.
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