"He is not under custody right now, he's at the intensive care unit," Colonel David Krumm said. He commands the 49th Wing, the host Wing on base to which the injured man belongs.

At 1:30 a.m., three to six security officers were patrolling the dorms on base when they came across a 20-year-old airman and for unknown reasons tried to arrest him.

"There was a struggle during the apprehension of the airman in which case, during that time, he was shot," Krumm said.

The shot came after a few minutes of fighting, the security patrol was routine, and no security officers were injured. The man who was shot is one of several hundred members of the 849th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and was not on duty at the time.

"The airman was transported to a hospital in El Paso where he underwent surgery and is currently in critical condition," Krumm said.

Last year, two airmen from the base got into a fight and one stabbed the other and there have been shootings off base involving airmen. But long time officials of the base familiar with its history told KFOX-14 Reporter Jacob Rascon that Sunday's shooting is likely the first of its kind because it happened on base.

The Airforce Special Investigation team is looking into why the man resisted arrest and have not yet decided what will happen to him if he survives.

Air Force personnel from Holloman AFB have served during World War II and later in Korea, Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan, among other areas in war and peacetime.

Stay tuned with KFOX-14 for updates to this story.