A man and a woman are in custody after officials say they tried to enter the base's Bayshore Boulevard gate about 5 p.m. Monday in a sport utility vehicle carrying weapons and military gear, MacDill officials said.
Base officials haven't heard that it was a planned attack and authorities did not find any explosives.
A News Channel 8 reporter on scene at the base Monday night saw at least 13 loaded rifle magazines and two pistol magazines in a bag.
Authorities also found military clothing and other military-style equipment in the grayish blue Honda CRV driven by the suspects.
The suspects, who haven't been identified, didn't have proper identification cards to get on the base as a civilian or as a member of the military, officials said. Authorities haven't said if they tried to use fake IDs.
The pair remains in custody at MacDill as the investigation continued.
The video says two men, but it appears that it was incorrect - other reports indicate that a man and woman are in custody.
It will be interesting to see how this story develops.
UPDATE:
One of the men was AWOL from an unnamed branch of the US military and was attempting to get on base?
A man who tried to enter MacDill Air Force Base with a cache of military gear and weapons Monday evening is an active duty member of the military listed absent without leave, a base official said Tuesday.
The official, speaking at a news conference, did not identify the man and woman who he said tried entering the base at the Bayshore Boulevard gate in a sport utility vehicle with three rifles, three handguns and ammunition.
Their motive for accessing the base remains under investigation, said Col. Dave Cohen, 6th Air Mobility Wing vice commander.
"At this point there is no indication that it is a terrorist act," Cohen said.
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