Civilian husband wounds Air Force wife, fatally shoots himself in Hurlburt Field incident
Okaloosa County Florida July 28 2020
HURLBURT FIELD — The civilian husband of a Hurlburt Field airman apparently shot and killed himself after shooting and wounding his wife in a Friday afternoon domestic incident that prompted a brief lockdown of the installation.
The shooter, identified as Elliot Alexeichik, was declared dead on the scene from the self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a Sunday news release from the 1st Special Operations Wing, the host unit at Hurlburt Field.
The injured Air Force member, identified as Airman 1st Class Kimberly Alexeichik, who serves in the 1st Special Operations Wing, was transported to a local hospital with a gunshot wound. She was in stable condition Sunday night, and is “focused on recovery,” according to the 1st SOW news release.
An armed disturbance notification was sent digitally to all Hurlburt personnel at 4:28 p.m. Friday. An “all clear” message was issued at 5:55 p.m., after Hurlburt Field security forces and local law enforcement secured the scene of the incident.
The exact scene of the incident has not been released by Air Force or civilian law enforcement officials, but during the lockdown, people in the vicinity of Grimm Lane in base housing west of the installation’s U.S. Highway 98 gate were told to shelter in place.
The incident is being investigated by Air Force Office of Special Investigations, which on Saturday referred questions about their investigation to the 1st SOW’s public affairs unit. Thus far, Sunday’s news release has been the only comment from the 1st SOW on the incident since a pair of Friday news releases that provided limited information on the incident.
On the day of the incident, Hurlburt security forces were assisted by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office special response team and crisis negotiation unit at the scene. It was not clear Sunday whether either of the OCSO units had, or will, file any reports on their role in the domestic shooting.
Col. Jocelyn Schermerhorn, commander of the 1st SOW, used her Facebook page, 1st SOW Commander, on Friday night to address the incident. The post also was placed on the Hurlburt Field Facebook page.
Schermerhorn expressed condolences “to all affected by this senseless tragedy” and thanked base security personnel and the Sheriff’s Office for their “outstanding response.”
Schermerhorn added that the “1st Special Operations Wing “does not condone domestic violence” and works “to mitigate this needless violence through our on-base resources and programs that are offered to all Hurlburt Field members.”
Schermerhorn closed her message with a note of thanks to the community “for your continued support of our airmen and families during this time.”
Also reacting to the incident was U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose congressional district includes Hurlburt Field.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of this tragedy at Hurlburt Field,” Gaetz said early Saturday morning. “My prayers are with all involved, including the families, first responders, and service members on this tremendous base.”
Friday’s incident came less than a week after a Hurlburt Field airman was picked up by local authorities on a fugitive warrant from Colorado in connection with a sexual assault warrant from that state.
Derek Wilson Tyler, 25, a senior airman with the 1st Special Operations Wing, was picked up shortly after midnight on July 17. He remained in the Okaloosa County Jail without bond as of Sunday afternoon while being held for the El Paso County (Colorado) Sheriff’s Office.
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