An Iraq War veteran was killed Wednesday morning while attempting to intervene in an alleged domestic dispute involving an active-duty airman assigned to Whiteman Air Force Base.
Just after 7 a.m., local dispatch authorities received multiple calls reporting a domestic disturbance in a Warrensburg, Missouri, neighborhood about 10 miles west of the air base.
Once on scene, responding police located an armed suspect fleeing on foot.
The suspect, who an Air Force spokesperson has since identified as Senior Airman Glyzua Ingram, proceeded to fire multiple rounds in the direction of the arriving officers.
Army veteran Tony Barron, who previously deployed to Iraq as a member of the 101st Airborne Division, was on scene and, at an unspecified moment, attempted to intervene in the altercation.
Ingram subsequently shot and killed Barron, according to a statement released by the Warrensburg Police Department. A female victim was treated for minor injuries and later released from the Western Missouri Medical Center.
Warrensburg Police established a perimeter and cordoned off the area, according to the report, while local schools and businesses were instructed to temporarily lock down.
Police soon located Ingram, who was assigned to Whiteman’s 509th Maintenance Group, in a wooded area with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the police report.
There were no additional injuries reported.
“We are saddened by the tragic incident that unfolded in Warrensburg,” Col. Joshua D. Wiitala, 509th Bomb Wing commander, said in a statement provided to Military Times. “Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends, and with everyone in the Warrensburg and Whiteman AFB communities who are coping with this.”
Barron, 39, was a father of two. Friends told local news outlet KMBC that he was 14 months sober after struggling with addiction and PTSD.
“He graduated recovery court the day before Veterans Day. He had no sanctions, no trouble at all,” Barron’s friend, Cady Carpenter, told the outlet. “The judge baked him cookies. He was so proud of that. He wore his uniform to graduation. … Tony is so loved.”
A GoFundMe to support Barron’s family has since been established.
In a statement, Warrensburg Police Chief Andrew Munsterman lauded Barron “for his extraordinary courage.”
“Through his decisive and selfless actions, he not only protected the initial victim but likely prevented further harm to our community,” Munsterman said. “Mr. Barron’s bravery stands as an example of true heroism.”
The incident is currently being investigated by the Warrensburg Police Department.
A spokesperson for Whiteman AFB stated that base officials “are committed to supporting the investigation and providing resources and care for those affected during this time.”
J.D. Simkins is the executive editor of Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.
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