Airman Arrested After Viral Air Force Review of Sig Sauer M18 Shooting
An airman has been arrested in connection with the July 20 shooting death of Airman Brayden Lovan at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, the Air Force announced Friday.
In a statement, the Air Force said the airman is suspected of involuntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice, and making a false statement. The service has not disclosed the individual’s name, and no additional details about the arrest have been released.
Lovan, a remote targeting engagement system operator with the 90th Security Forces Group, died on duty when a Sig Sauer M18 pistol discharged.
Following the incident, the U.S. Air Force ordered a service-wide inspection of the weapon.
The M18, adopted in 2017 to replace the M9, is based on Sig Sauer’s P320 platform, which has been the subject of lawsuits over alleged unintentional discharges, claims the manufacturer denies.
Robert Zimmerman, the attorney representing Lovan’s family, told Military.com they are awaiting the full results of the investigation. “We have understood for weeks that the Air Force is continuing to investigate this incident, including conducting an analysis of the weapon involved,” he said. “We look forward to a full review of the investigative file when it is ready.”
The Air Force has not provided any updates on its ongoing safety review of the M18.
