WALTERS-CAMERON

VICTIM  OF  ACTIVE  SHOOTER

Cameron Scott Walters was the victim of an active shooter at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, on December 6, 2019 and has been described as “A Hero” for his actions in connection with the incident.  Authorities reported the shooter was a 21-year old Second Lieutenant in the Royal Saudi Air Force from Saudi Arabia who was a student naval flight officer of the Naval Aviation Schools Command and had been training in the United States since 2017.  Without warning, he suddenly opened fire with a handgun inside a classroom which injured eight individuals and killed three U.S. Navy men, including Walters.  It has been reported that as shots rang out, Walters ran toward the shooter and sustained gunshot wounds from which he died.

Walters grew up with six siblings in Richmond Hill, Georgia, a small town of about 13,000 south of Savannah near the Georgia coast, and was a graduate of Effingham County High School.  In September 2019 he joined the Navy, a dream he had long held, as he often spoke of following his father who had served in the Navy.  Upon his graduation from recruit training at Great Lakes Walter is known to have said to his father, “Look at me Dad, I’m going to be just like you.”  According to his family, Walters looked forward to earning his wings as a Navy Airman.  Immediately following leaving Great Lakes he was assigned to Naval Aircrew Candidate School at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, to begin his training.  On the morning of December 6, Walters was randomly assigned to watch duty in Building-633 where the shooting unfolded.  His watch duty assignment required him to roam the area, unarmed, making sure the area was in order.  According to reports, when shots rang out, Walters ran toward the source of the sounds.  His commanding officer later said, “When confronted…he ran towards it and saved lives.  If not for his actions, and the actions of the Naval Security Force that were the first responders on the scene, this incident could have been far worse.”

Walter’s father later said, “He was doing what he wanted to do, and he was doing a great job.  I was more proud of him than I’ve ever been.”

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)