U.S. airman in Wyoming died after alleged shooter pointed gun at him in “joking method,” officers say

Investigation into Airman’s Death at Wyoming Air Force Base Reveals New Details

Two airmen at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming have pleaded guilty to making false statements regarding the deadly shooting of a fellow airman, Brayden Lovan, 21, which led to the temporary suspension of the use of Sig Sauer M18 pistols at nuclear weapons sites. According to the Air Force, the suspension was lifted in late August after officials determined the M18 was safe to carry.

Lovan, an airman with the 90th Security Forces Squadron, 90th Missile Wing, died in late July. The alleged shooter, Marcus White-Allen, had pointed the gun at Lovan’s chest in a “joking manner” before the fatal incident, according to officials. White-Allen allegedly urged the other two surviving airmen to lie about what happened. White-Allen was later found dead on base on October 8, with the circumstances surrounding his death still under investigation.

A sign at Gate Two to the entrance to F.E. Warren Air Force Base outside Cheyenne, Wyoming, on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
AP Photo/Mead Gruver

Consequences for Airmen Involved

Airmen Sarbjot Badesha and Matthew Rodriguez pleaded guilty to making false official statements related to Lovan’s death. Badesha was sentenced to 30 days in confinement and forfeiture of $1,545, while Rodriguez was sentenced to 10 days in confinement, 15 days restriction to base, and forfeiture of $500. Both airmen received administrative demotions.

According to the Air Force statement, White-Allen told Badesha and Rodriguez to lie about the incident, claiming the gun went off accidentally. However, investigators later discovered that White-Allen had pointed the gun at Lovan’s chest in a “joking manner” before the fatal shooting.

Second Deadly Incident at the Base

A second deadly incident occurred at the Wyoming base in August, when Airman First Class Jadan Orr allegedly shot a man in a Cheyenne apartment. Orr, 20, had been drinking with friends and was handling an AK-47 rifle when he fired it through the wall, striking the 23-year-old victim in the torso.

For more information on this incident and the investigation into Lovan’s death, visit Here

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