Shots fired as intruder held at Air Force One base

A TRESPASSER has been detained after gaining access to a US military base that is home to Air Force One, the US president’s aircraft.

The man entered the housing complex at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland at about 11.30am on Monday resulting in shots being fired.

A spokesman for the base said: “A resident discharged a firearm, security forces arrived on scene to apprehend the intruder and law enforcement is investigating.”

The intruder was not identified and no motive was given for his actions.

The facility houses the fleet of blue and white presidential planes, including the “doomsday” 747 aircraft that can serve as the nation’s airborne nuclear command and control centre if needed.

Security was breached at the base in February 2021 when a man was waved through the checkpoint at the entrance to the base in Prince George’s County, 20 miles south-east of Washington DC.

Hours later, he walked undetected on to the runway by slipping through a fence and climbed into an empty plane reserved for government officials.