Soldier strikes gunman with car, averting possible mass shooting

An active-duty soldier stopped a shooting outside a military base by striking the suspect with his car and waiting for police to apprehend the shooter, police said.

Ft. Leavenworth police told local news affiliate KSHB that an unnamed active-duty soldier was driving along the Centennial Bridge when he spotted a shooter opening fire on vehicles on the Missouri side of the bridge.

The soldier then struck the suspect with his vehicle, an act that “saved the day” and disabled the suspect, according to police chief Pat Kitchens.

“He saved countless people,” the chief said.

One person, a fellow active-duty soldier, was injured during the shooting but is expected to survive. The suspect’s injuries are also non-life-threatening.

Austin Menzel, a bystander who filmed police arriving on scene after the shooting, said that the suspect was still “definitely under” the unnamed soldier’s vehicle when police arrived.

“I couldn’t see him underneath the vehicle, but he was definitely under there when the cops were, when the cops were surrounding him,” Menzel said.

“I’m just glad he [the shooter] was able to get taken down, you know,” he told KSHB. “I’m glad that somebody did something about it, nonetheless an active duty soldier. So congrats to that hero … he did good.”

The suspect, who was taken into custody, has been identified as from Platte County, Mo. No other details on the shooter were immediately available.