300 Saudi military aviation students grounded after deadly NAS Pensacola shooting

Jim Little | Pensacola News Journal

More than 300 Saudi Arabian military aviation students are grounded following the deadly shooting at NAS Pensacola on Friday.

"A safety stand-down and operational pause commenced Monday for Saudi Arabian aviation students at NAS Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field and NAS Mayport, Florida," said Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Megan Isaac. "Classroom training is expected to resume this week for those students."

The stand down includes approximately 175 Saudi students in the Pensacola area with 140 at NAS Pensacola and 35 students at NAS Whiting. NAS Mayport in Jacksonville has 128 Saudi students.

"Training was suspended over the weekend for all personnel," Isaac said. "Some training commands aboard NAS Pensacola have resumed training, including those with International Military Students. This training includes aviation training."

Classroom training is expected to resume this week for those students, Isaac said.

A Saudi aviation student on Friday opened fire in a classroom building at NAS Pensacola, killing three people and injuring eight others.

The FBI said on Tuesday that the shooter legally purchased the gun, a 9mm Glock 45, in Florida this summer under a federal law that allows foreign nationals to buy a gun if they meet certain requirements like having a state hunting license.

Saudi Arabia Defense Attaché Major General Fawaz Al Fawaz visited NAS Pensacola on Monday and met with Saudi students there.

Saudi students at NAS Pensacola remain restricted to base under the orders of their commanding officer.