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Flags flown half-staff in Florida to honor 3, including St. Pete sailor, killed in 2019 terrorist act

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Published  December 6, 2024 12:13pm EST
Florida
FOX 13 News

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on Friday to honor the three American sailors, including one from St. Petersburg, who were killed during a terrorist act five years ago at the Naval Air Station Pensacola.

    On Dec. 6, 2019, authorities say an aviation student from Saudi Arabia opened fire in a classroom at the naval air station.

    Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said 11 people were shot all together in the incident. Among the injured were two sheriff’s deputies who were the first to respond, one of whom killed the suspect.

    St. Petersburg native Mohammed Haitham was one of the three victims killed. 

    Haitham, whose friends and family called him "Mo," graduated in 2018 from Lakewood High School, where he was a track and field star.

    The 19-year-old then enlisted in the US Navy. He was assigned to Naval Air Station Pensacola for flight crew training after boot camp.

    Sailor Mohammed Haitham was killed trying to stop a shooter at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

    Sailor Mohammed Haitham was killed trying to stop a shooter at Naval Air Station Pensacola. 

    Friends said Haitham died trying to stop the shooter.

    Szeja Thomas, who had known Haitham since middle school, told FOX 13, "The most important memory will be him dying as a hero."

    A second victim, Joshua Watson, is also credited with saving lives when he led first responders to the active shooter, despite having been shot multiple times.

    Mohammed Haitham, Joshua Watson, and Cameron Walters were killed in the shooting. 

    Naval Aircrewman Mechanical 3rd Class Cameron Walters was also killed in the shooting.

    The incident was reported just days after a U.S. sailor opened fire at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, leaving two victims dead and one injured before killing himself.

    The shooter was a member of the Saudi military, who was in aviation training at the base.

    DeSantis declared Dec. 6 as Naval Air Station Pensacola Remembrance Day in Florida.

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