A soldier has died after being shot during a training exercise at a north military base.
The man, who has not yet been named by police is reported to have been fatally injured in the incident shortly before 6pm last night.
Police have spent much of the morning investigating the circumstances of the soldier’s death and have already informed the next of kin.
The shooting follows a number of other incidents at military training grounds in recent months in which soldiers have died.
The solider involved
It is understood the man, believed to be from 3 Scots which are bases at Fort George, near Inverness, had been out on a live firing exercise when he was killed.
Nothing more is known about the identity of the man killed.
It was originally believed that another soldier had been injured in the incident but this was later ruled out by police.
The base
RAF Tain is used to train crews from Lossiemouth, as well as the US Air Force and other NATO forces in preparation for overseas operations.
It is the largest of four air weapons ranges, and is parented by RAF Lossiemouth. It is also responsible for Cape Wrath Range, near Durness.
It is run by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.
Lockdown
Officials were quick to lock the base down in the aftermath of the incident, with a police cordon closing off access.
Officers shut down the roads surrounding the area, with a car guarding the entrance to the site late into the night.
Staff were kept within the base so they could be questioned by detectives.
Meanwhile, ambulance crews remained at the scene for several hours and army chiefs and police also attended.
Police response
Officers shut down the roads surrounding the area, with a car guarding the entrance to the site late into the night.
A police spokesman said: “Police along with Scottish ambulance service personnel attended where there was found to be one person fatally injured.
“There were no other casualties as a result of the incident and next of kin have been informed by police.
“Police Scotland is leading the investigation to establish the full circumstances of this incident and is working closely with the armed forces.
“This was a contained incident and there was no threat to the public.”
MoD response
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “We will release more information as and when it becomes available. It would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this point.”
A tribute from the First Minister
On Wednesday morning, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This is a tragic incident and my deepest condolences go to the family, friends and colleagues of the person who has died.
“It is another important reminder of the often difficult and dangerous job our armed forces do every day.”
.@NicolaSturgeon on death at RAF Tain: My condolences to the family.This is a reminder of the difficult & dangerous job our armed forces do.
— First Minister (@ScotGovFM) November 2, 2016
Not the first training tragedy
The incident comes just three months after a Black Watch soldier was killed in a training exercise in England.
Conor McPherson, 24, had travelled from his base at Fort George, near Ardersier, to take part in Operation Wessex Storm south of the border.
But private McPherson was shot in the head during a live firing exercise at Otterburn in Northumberland.
Just over a month before his death a soldier died on a training exercise in Brecon, south Wales.
Joshua Hoole, from Ecclefechan near Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, was training for the Platoon Sergeants’ Battle Course when he died on July 19.
The 26-year-old collapsed after taking part in a fitness test near the Dering Lines infantry training centre.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding both earlier deaths.