The Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has identified a 47-year-old man who stole a pickup and attempted to use it to go through the north gate of Naval Air Station-Corpus Christi early Monday morning.
Brian Robinson is facing charges of possession of a stolen firearm, at the least, according to the ATF.
Around 5:20 a.m., San Patricio Co. deputies received a call about a pickup stolen from a Stripes convenience store in Beeville. Deputies followed the 2018 white Dodge Ram on a chase along State Hwy. 181 in St. Paul.
The chase continued through Taft, Gregory, Portland and onto the Harbor Bridge.
Once the suspect crossed over the bridge, he continued on Ocean Drive to the north gate of NAS-CC, where a "denial device," part of the base's security measures, disabled his vehicle. Then, the suspect fled from the car and ran onto the base. He was found later and brought into custody.
The San Patricio Co. Sheriff's Office said two pistols were in the truck when it was stolen. The base was locked down for approximately 80 minutes while security personnel searched for Robinson, who was armed when he was apprehended. Robinson currently is in federal custody, and could make his first court appearance as soon as Tuesday.
NAS-CC public information officer Francoise "Fifi" Kieschnick tells KRIS Communications that when the vehicle attempted to make entry onto the base, the final "active denial device," a barrier which comes up from the ground, were enacted.
"They worked perfectly," said Kieschnick. "The suspect got out an ran, our police forces and the local police department pursued them."
NAS-CC's North Gate is still closed, and will be until further notice.
"I'm not sure what kind of damage there was to the final denial barrier, that will probably determine when the North Gate does open," said Kieschnick.
