The airman who accidentally shot and killed another at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, in July told two colleagues to lie about what happened, they said during their court-martials this week.

Airman 1st Class Sarbjot Badesha and Airman 1st Class Matthew Rodriguez both pleaded guilty to making false statements about the death of Airman Brayden Lovan on July 20. The two were court-martialed Oct. 30 and 31, according to the 90th Missile Wing, which operates F.E. Warren Air Force Base. 

According to their testimony, they saw Airman 1st Class Marcus White-Allen pull out his M18 pistol and aim it at Lovan “in a joking manner.” The Air Force’s statement said that they each heard the gunfire and saw Lovan quickly fall to the ground. Lovan was shot and died from his wound. All four airmen, including Lovan, were assigned to the 90th Security Forces Group, which guards the nuclear missile base.

According to the two guilty pleas, White-Allen quickly told the men to use a story he had concocted, even while emergency responders were coming to help Lovan. He told Badesha “Here’s the story. Tell them that I slammed my duty belt on the desk, and it went off.” Meanwhile, Rodriguez said that White-Allen instructed him to tell emergency personnel coming to help Lovan that White-Allen’s “holster went off.” 

As a result, the shooting was initially reported as a misfire involving the M18. That prompted a large response from the service. Air Force Global Strike Command, which oversees the branch’s nuclear weapons, ordered a pause on the use of the pistol and a full inspection. Air Combat Command took a similar move. Sig Sauer, the gun maker behind the M18 pistol, issued a statement refuting claims that the P-320 (which the M18 is based on) can accidentally fire without the trigger being pulled.  

White-Allen was arrested in August in relation to Lovan’s death. He was not identified at the time and was later released. White-Allen was found dead in his dorm at F.E. Warren Air Force Base the morning of Oct. 8. The 90th Missile Wing had previously said that White-Allen was “under investigation as a subject in relation” to Lovan’s shooting. The details from the court-martial are the first time the Air Force directly said his sidearm was the one that killed Lovan. The Air Force is investigating White-Allen’s death.

“We are fully dedicated to supporting the families and individuals affected by these tragic events,” Col. Terry Holmes, commander of the 90th Missile Wing, said in the statement on the court-martials. “Our focus is on ensuring that justice is served and that every aspect of this case is thoroughly examined.”

As a result of the court-martial, Badesha was sentenced to 30 days in confinement and forfeiture of $1,545. He was demoted to E-1. Rodriguez got 10 days of confinement plus 15 days of restriction to base. He was ordered to forfeit $500 and was demoted to E-2. 

Lovan’s death in July was the first of four deaths tied to F.E. Warren Air Force Base in as many months, ending with White-Allen’s death in October. After White-Allen’s death, the 90th Security Forces Group’s leadership held a series of all-call meetings with the 1,400-person unit to discuss the recent events. The unit’s commander told Task & Purpose last month that the meetings talked about the deaths, but also pushed “accountability, professionalism, and getting back to the basics.”

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