This May 24, 2018, photo shows the entrance to F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyo. (Mead Gruver/AP)
The airman killed in an M18 pistol discharge incident that led Air Force Global Strike Command to indefinitely halt use of the firearm was a 21-year-old security forces specialist from Kentucky, service officials said.
Airman Brayden Lovan of Greenville, Ky., died Monday from an on-duty incident at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., on Sunday that spawned multiple investigations into the safety of the Sig Sauer-produced firearm used widely across the military, according to a statement Friday. Lovan was a member of the F.E. Warren-based 90th Security Forces Squadron of the 90th Security Forces Group that provides security for the base’s 90th Missile Wing, which oversees and operates Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.
“Our hearts are heavy with the loss of Airman Lovan,” said Col. Jeremy Sheppard, who commands the 90th Security Forces Group. “We mourn the loss of a valued defender, teammate and friend. Our focus remains on supporting the family and team during this incredibly difficult time.”
Lovan was a native of Greenville and a 2022 graduate of Muhlenberg County High School, where he played football and basketball and competed in track and field, according to the school.
“Brayden brought such great talent and skill to our athletic program at Muhlenberg County High School,” a social media post from the school’s athletic department reads. “Though his time with us was far too brief, his impact on the field, court and in the Air Force will never fade.”
He entered active duty in November 2023 and had served with 90th Security Forces Squadron since May 2024, according to the Air Force.
It remains unclear precisely what caused the M18 to discharge and kill Lovan, Air Force officials said Friday. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Air Force Global Strike Command Safety office, the Air Force Security Forces Center and Headquarters Air Force Security Forces are all involved in multiple investigations to determine what led to the gunshot that killed Lovan and whether the M18 pistol is safe to use, officials said.
Those investigations are meant to determine if the gunshot was the result of a negligent discharge, in which its operator accidentally pulled the trigger, an “uncommanded” discharge, in which the gun fired without any trigger manipulation, or a criminal act, according to service officials.
Air Force Global Strike Command’s top officer, Gen. Thomas Bussiere, ordered the 35,000 airman in his unit to stop using the M18 on Monday after Lovan’s death. That order will stand until the completion of a “comprehensive review” of the incident and a 100% inspection of the command’s M18 pistols. It will be lifted when “appropriate corrective measures” are emplaced or when the pistol’s “safety measures are confirmed,” Bussiere wrote in a memorandum.
The M18 is a compact semi-automatic 9mm pistol built by Sig for the military based on its commercially available striker-fired P320 pistol models. The M18 and its full-size version M17, which is also part of the P320 family, have been adopted by all the Pentagon’s military services since Sig won a 2017 competition to build the Army’s new modular pistols.
The M17 and M18 replaced the decades-old M9 pistol, which was manufactured by Beretta.
Sig Sauer has been plagued in recent years by reports — and multiple lawsuits — that have charged the P320 models have fired without trigger manipulation, including some while holstered, leading to injuries to civilians and law enforcement officers. The model has been banned by multiple law enforcement agencies, including last month by the federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency.
Sig has long disputed the P320 is capable of firing without a trigger pull.
In a statement posted to social media by the New Hampshire-based company, Sig said it would support military investigations into the M18.
“Our hearts are with the service members and families impacted by the recent reported events at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base. We proactively offered assistance to the U.S. military as they investigate the incident and remain willing to help in furtherance of the ongoing inquiry,” the company said. “We have absolute confidence in the military’s ability to conduct a thorough investigation and are working with the Air Force and Army to answer any of their questions.”
