FBI Says Suspicious Package Outside MacDill Air Force Base Contained 'Possible Energetic Materials'
Security scares come after three of the six U.S. air service members killed March 12 when a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in Iraq were assigned to MacDill's 6th Air Refueling Wing.
Police officers with the Tampa Police Department block traffic along South Dale Mabry Highway near the main entrance of MacDill Air Force Base, which houses CENTCOM headquarters, after a suspicious package was reported at the gate in Tampa, Fla., on March 16, 2026. (Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images)
A suspicious package discovered outside a visitor center at MacDill Air Force Base last weekend contained what field tests identified as possible explosive-related substances, the FBI said Wednesday, as the base simultaneously dealt with a separate threat on the same day that briefly forced personnel to shelter in place.
The package was first reported at around 11:20 a.m. on Monday near the Dale Mabry entrance gate to the installation, according to MacDill Air Force Base.
FBI Special Agent Bomb Technicians and Tampa Police responded, closing the Dale Mabry gate entirely and rerouting base traffic to the Bayshore Gate. Tampa Police also shut down MacDill Avenue south of Interbay Boulevard as a precautionary measure, according to the FBI's Tampa field office.
By about 5 p.m. that day, the scene had been declared safe, and normal gate operations had resumed.
Two days later, on Wednesday, the FBI disclosed that field screening of the package's contents had turned up an alarming finding. "Field screening was conducted on the contents of the package and identified possible energetic materials," the FBI's Tampa office said in a Facebook post. "Final lab analysis is not yet complete. The investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details can be shared at this time."
The FBI noted in a separate post the previous day that Tampa Police, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the 6th Security Forces and Civil Engineer Squadrons had assisted in the investigation.
The security scares unfolded against a backdrop of grief at the base as three of the six U.S. air service members killed March 12 when a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq were assigned to MacDill's 6th Air Refueling Wing: Maj. John "Alex" Klinner, 33; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, according to the Department of War, which publicly identified the victims on March 14.
(Top L–R) Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Ala.; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Wash.; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Ky. (Bottom L–R) Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Ind.; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons. MacDill Air Force Base, Ohio National Guard
The crash, which occurred during refueling operations for Operation Epic Fury, also killed three Ohio National Guardsmen. There were no survivors. The incident involved another aircraft and was not the result of hostile or friendly fire, U.S. Central Command and the Pentagon said.
"To lose a member of the Air Force family is excruciatingly painful, especially to those who know them as son, daughter, brother, sister, spouse, mom, or dad," said Col. Ed Szczepanik, commander of the 6th Air Refueling Wing, in a statement posted to MacDill's Instagram account. "To lose them at the same time is unimaginable."
Shelter-in-Place Order
Wednesday's security alarm compounded the tension, with MacDill posting on Facebook early in the day that a threat had been made against the installation and that a shelter-in-place order was in effect.
"We take all threats seriously and are taking appropriate measures to prioritize the safety and security of our installation," the base said, declining to specify what security measures were put in place.
Hours later, the all-clear was given. "Shelter in place has been lifted and the gates are open and will resume normal FPCON Charlie operations," the base said. "The threat to MacDill Air Force Base has been cleared."
It remains unclear whether Wednesday's threat is connected to the suspicious package found days earlier.
