Report: Pearl Harbor Shooter Used His Service Weapons

Officials will beef up security for the ceremony to remember those lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor 78 years ago, with service members and dignitaries confronting a fresh tragedy after a US sailor killed two civilians, wounded another, and then turned the gun on himself at the storied military base, the AP reports. The National Park Service, which is hosting the event with the Navy, would not give specifics on the heightened security measures, Pearl Harbor National Memorial spokesman Jay Blount said. Across the harbor at the naval shipyard, a sailor on Wednesday shot three civilians working for the shipyard on the base, killing two, before taking his own life.

The gunman was 22-year-old G. Romero, according to a military official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that had not been made public. Romero's job was to stand watch and provide security for the fast attack submarine USS Columbia, which is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for maintenance. He used his service rifle to shoot the victims, then killed himself with his service pistol, the official said. Navy officials said they didn't know the motive for the shooting. It wasn't known if the sailor and victims knew each other. Jamie Hiranaka, the president of the union representing the three workers, said they were all quality assurance inspectors whose job was to check welding and other work completed by shipyard workers. (More Pearl Harbor stories.)