Family of airman killed in Grand Forks AFB shooting says she was victim of domestic violence

The family of one of the airmen killed in a shooting at Grand Forks Air Force Base on Monday said she was a victim of domestic violence, the Grand Forks Herald reported on Tuesday. 

The airman, identified by her family as Natasha Aposhian, had just graduated from basic military training in February, and Grand Forks was her first assignment, the Herald reported.

“We’re torn apart by the loss of our daughter to a senseless act of domestic violence,” the airman’s parents, Brian Murray and Megan Aposhian, said in a statement provided to the Herald. 

“Natasha had recently joined the Air Force and was just starting to embark on a career serving her country,” they wrote. “It’s a tragedy she won’t get to fulfill her hopes and dreams. We ask that you pray for her, our family and the countless victims of these crimes.”

The base has not officially confirmed the identity of either of the two victims killed on Monday, and few details about the incident are available as an investigation is ongoing, a base spokesman told Task & Purpose.

Both victims were members of the 319th Reconnaissance Wing, the base said on Monday. 

The shooting occurred at about 4:30 a.m. on Monday, and base emergency and medical services responded to contain the scene and provide mental health care for those impacted, the base said.

According to the Herald, the incident occurred in a dormitory on the base. 

The newspaper asked the base commander, Col. Cameron Pringle, whether it’s typical for airmen to have firearms in the dormitory at 4:30 a.m.

“Our dormitories are safe,” Pringle responded. “We shouldn't worry about the condition of the dormitories. Our airmen are well cared for and provided with good supervision, and I'm pretty confident our leadership team is going to take care of all of our airmen in the dorms. We'll certainly make sure we're looking into their safety as part of this.”