Judge dismisses lawsuit against Saudi Arabia over 2019 Navy station attack

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Saudi Arabia over a 2019 mass shooting at the Pensacola Naval Air Station that killed three US service members and wounded several others.

U.S, District Judge M. Casey Rodgers ruled last month that Saudi Arabia is protected from the lawsuit under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which limits court actions against foreign governments. The plaintiffs, who are relatives of those killed and wounded, are planning an appeal.

Cameron Walters, Joshua Watson and Mohammed Haitham, all Navy service members, were shot and killed in the Dec. 6 2019 attack. The shooter, Mohammad Saeed Al-Shamrani, was shot and killed by responding officers.

Al-Shamrani was a Saudi Air Force officer who was training at the Pensacola base. The FBI said he was also linked to the Al-Qaida extremist group and had been in contact with it before the shooting.