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Shots fired after car 'tries to ram gates' of US air base in UK

A US Air Force base in Suffolk went into lockdown and shots were fired after a car reportedly tried to ram the gates.

Police responded to reports of a “significant incident” at RAF Mildenhall at lunchtime on Monday.

They said shots were fired by US service personnel and a man was arrested with cuts and bruises.

A brief statement on the base’s Facebook page said: “RAF Mildenhall locked down at 1pm today following reports of a disturbance on base.

An overhead view of the base (Picture: Rex)
An overhead view of the base (Picture: Rex)

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“The base was locked down and emergency personnel are responding to the situation.

“Additional details will be provided as they become available.”

The base is no longer in lockdown.

A Pentagon spokesman in Washington said: “The security incident has been contained and a suspect has been apprehended.”

Later, businesses on the base confirmed the security alert was over.

A member of staff at Jumppin Jacks Funhouse in Mildenhall said: “All the American children playing here suddenly left, but we didn’t hear anything or know why.”

RAF Mildenhall was in lockdown on Monday (Picture: PA)
RAF Mildenhall was in lockdown on Monday (Picture: PA)

The man who was arrested is now in the custody of Suffolk Police.

The base is used by the USAF as a transport hub and houses the KC-135 tanker fleet and special operations forces.

There are about 3,200 military personnel on the base, with between 400 and 500 UK civilian staff employed there.

In September, the US Air Force said it was delaying plans to relocate its operations from Mildenhall to a base in Germany until 2024.

RAF Mildenhall has previously been a potential target for a terror attack.

In May 2016, Islamic extremist Junead Khan was given a life sentence for planning a strike against American military personnel in Britain.

Two US planes at RAF Mildenhall (Picture: Rex)
Two US planes at RAF Mildenhall (Picture: Rex)

Khan, of Luton, used his job as a delivery driver to scout bases including Mildenhall and nearby RAF Lakenheath the previous year.

The trial of the “committed supporter” of Islamic State (IS) heard he plotted to fake a car accident before attacking personnel with a “Jihadi John”-style knife.

He was jailed for a minimum of 12 years after being convicted of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts.

(Main picture: PA)