Airman Arrested in Deadly M18 Shooting at F.E. Warren

An Airman has been arrested in connection with the July 20 death of an Air Force security forces Airman in Wyoming, a service spokesperson said Aug. 8.

The unnamed Airman in custody was arrested on suspicion of making a false official statement, obstruction of justice, and involuntary manslaughter, the spokesperson said. A charge sheet was not immediately available. The Airman facing charges will be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Airman Brayden Lovan, 21, died when an M18 handgun discharged a 9mm round around 1:30 a.m. July 20 while he was on duty at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, according to the Air Force. The case sparked servicewide inspections of M18 firearms, as initial reports suggested the gun discharged on its own. Air Force Global Strike Command, which oversees nuclear missile operations at Warren, and some Air Combat Command units barred troops from using the pistol, citing safety concerns, until they had completed fresh training, including training on the proper handling of firearms. 

The safety inspections and Global Strike’s pause on M18 use are ongoing, the spokesperson said. 

Warren was Lovan’s first duty station after the Kentucky native joined the Air Force in November 2023. An online obituary described Lovan as a “remote targeting engagement system operator,” a job running the base’s security towers, with the 90th Security Forces Squadron.

The Air Force previously called the gunshot an “isolated incident that does not pose a threat to the base or community.”

“The investigation in this case is ongoing and further details are not available,” the spokesperson said Aug. 8.

The service purchased some 125,000 M18s from Sig Sauer for $22 million in 2020 to replace the M9 pistol it had used since 1985. Sig Sauer, which manufactures the M18 for all branches of the U.S. military, notes on its website that the firearm is equipped with a manual safety. That is a modification made for the military. The gun is based on the company’s civilian P320 handgun.

Sig Sauer has faced a series of lawsuits related to the P320 and the F.E. Warren incident sparked a spate of online discussion about the M18. The company has defended the safety of its products and on July 29 said it had offered to assist in the Air Force’s investigation.

“SIG SAUER has ALWAYS and will continue to put the safety and security of the U.S. Military, the law enforcement community, our consumers, and the public first,” the company said in a statement.