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Washington DC rocked as gun attack on navy yard leaves 13 people dead Gun rampage at Washington navy yard leaves 13 people dead
(about 2 hours later)
A naval base in the heart of Washington DC was rocked by a mass shooting on Monday after at least one gunman opened fire and left 13 people dead, in the worst attack on a military base in the US since the Fort Hood killings in 2009. Thirteen people died after a gunman opened fire at a naval complex in the heart of Washington DC on Monday, in what became the worst attack on a military base in the US since the Fort Hood killings in 2009.
As authorities struggled to piece together the details of what happened at the Washington navy yard, Barack Obama said the victims had faced "unimaginable violence". As authorities struggled to piece together the details of what happened at the Washington navy yard, Barack Obama lamented "yet another mass shooting" and called it a "cowardly act".
Washington's police chief, Cathy Lanier, said one attacker died at the scene, and issued descriptions of two other gunmen suspected of being involved. But she was unable to say definitively whether anyone was responsible for the shooting beyond the gunman who had died. The FBI named the attacker as Aaron Alexis, a 34-year-old former Navy aviation electrician's mate who was stationed in Texas until he left the military in 2011. Police records showed that he had been arrested at least twice in the past for gun-related incidents.
It was unclear whether reports of further assailants came from early confusion at the scene or pointed to evidence of a planned and co-ordinated attack. Minutes after she spoke, police said one of the two remaining suspects had been ruled out of the investigation. Alexis died after a sustained firefight with police and security staff, who found numerous casualties after responding to emergency calls. "There were multiple engagements with the suspect who was ultimately deceased," said Cathy Lanier, chief of police in Washington DC. "There is no question he would have kept shooting."
Vincent Gray, the Democratic mayor of Washington, said the motive for the shootings was unknown, but that he had no information to indicate that it was an act of terrorism. The FBI, which took the lead in the investigation, was determining how Alexis got into the navy yard: unconfirmed media reports have suggested that he may have used someone else's identification to get past security staff. About 3,000 people work at the complex, which houses the US naval sea systems command headquarters, responsible for buying, building and maintaining the US navy's ships, submarines and combat systems.
Lanier said the two suspects thought still to be at large were spotted wearing military-style uniforms, but did not say whether they were military personnel. She confirmed that there were "at least 12 fatalities" and an unspecified number of injured during the attack, which began at about 8.15am in building 197 of the Washington navy yard. There was no indication of a motive for the attack. After joining the navy in 2007, Alexis was assigned to a fleet logistics support squadron in Fort Worth, according to rear admiral John Kirby, the Navy's chief of information. Online records suggest he was arrested for a gun-related offence in 2010.
The high-security facility houses the US naval sea systems command, a historic base on the Anacostia river, less than four miles from the White House. About 3,000 staff who work on the base and its surrounding buildings were immediately placed on lockdown. Security was tightened across Washington as the investigation continued. Police in Seattle said he was arrested in 2004 in another gun-related incident. According to a statement by Seattle police, Alexis's father told detectives his son had "anger management problems" associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. He had been an active participant in rescue attempts on September 11th, 2001," the Seattle police statement said.
Just after Lanier issued descriptions of two gunmen suspected still to be on the loose, police said one of them – a white man dressed in a tan "military-style uniform" – had been identified and ruled out of the investigation. Police were still looking for a black male aged about 50, said to have been carrying a rifle. In Washington, police initially feared two other men dressed in "military-style" uniform had been been involved in the attack, and launched a huge manhunt that locked down much of central Washington. One of the suspects was later identified and ruled out of the investigation. On Moday afternoon, the FBI said it still wanted to identify a second suspect, described as black, in his 50s, dressed in military khaki and carrying a rifle.
The motive for the attack remained unclear. It brought comparisons with the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, when Major Nidal Hasan, a psychiatrist at the Fort Hood base in Texas, killed 13 fellow service personnel in an attack that the army believes was carried out in response to US military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. Doctors at the nearby MedStar Washington hospital center said they were treating several victims. The chief medical officer, Janis Orlowski, said one police officer had multiple gunshot wounds to his legs and was undergoing complex surgery. Two other civilian patients were women: one shot in her shoulder, the other in her head and hand. The second woman's head wound was not serious: "She is a very, very, lucky young lady," Orlowski said.
The "shelter-in-place" at the navy yard – the order for employees to stay where they were – was still in effect hours after the shooting, a navy official confirmed. Sailors and civilians assigned to the Washington navy yard, as well as all personnel assigned to the nearby joint base Anacostia-Bolling, were advised to stay put while authorities continue to investigate the scene. Vincent Gray, the Democratic mayor of Washington DC, said he had no information to indicate that the attack was an act of terrorism. In a late-afternoon press conference, he confirmed that 13 people died and about a dozen were injured during the attack.
Doctors at the nearby MedStar Washington hospital center said they were treating multiple victims of the attack. Chief medical officer Janis Orlowski said one police officer being treated had multiple gunshot wounds to his legs, while two other civilian patients were female: one shot in her shoulder, the other in her head and hand. "They are able to talk to us. They do have severe injuries but we have been able to speak with all of them," she said. The incident began at about 8.15am, in building 197 of the navy yard complex, when many people were having breakfast in the cafeteria in the basement of the building. Some reports suggested that the gunman shot into the cafeteria from an overlooking walkway.
"Obviously they are in pain and in distress because of what they suffered this morning," Orlowski added. As multiple law enforcement agencies rushed to the scene, the naval yard and surrounding buildings were immediately placed on lockdown. With the suggestion that more gunmen were on the loose, security was tightened across Washington.
She said she did not know yet if any more injured people would be coming to the MedStar hospital but confirmed people had been killed at the navy yard. "We understand there are individuals at the scene who will not be transported [to the hospital] because they are deceased." Speaking shortly after the attack, Obama said the victims had faced "unimaginable violence" and offered his condolences to their families. "We will honour their service to the nation they helped to make great," Obama said. The president, who has tried and failed to enact gun control measures in the wake of previous mass shootings, denounced the attack as cowardly.
Speaking shortly after the attack, Obama said: "We still don't know all the facts, but we do know that several people have been shot and some people have been killed. Pentagon press secretary George Little added: "Everyone here at the Department of Defense is saddened by the incident at the Washington navy yard this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims.
"It's a shooting that targeted our military and civilian personnel. These are men and women […] doing their job and going to work. They're patriots." "While the Pentagon remains open, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency increased its security posture, not out of a specific threat, but as a proactive, precautionary measure."
He added: "Today they faced unimaginable violence that they wouldn't have expected here at home." Though the motive for the attack remained unclear, it brought comparisons with the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, when Major Nidal Hasan, a psychiatrist at the Fort Hood base in Texas, killed 13 fellow service personnel in an attack that the army believes was carried out in response to US military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In a statement the navy said the headquarters building was used by "command staff, headquarters directorates, affiliated program executive offices (PEOs) and numerous field activities". The order for employees to stay in place remained in effect hours after the shooting. Sailors and civilians assigned to the Washington navy yard, as well as all personnel assigned to the nearby joint base Anacostia-Bolling, were advised to stay put while authorities continued to investigate the scene.
Naval sea systems command (Navsea) is the largest of the navy's five system commands. It is a secure military facility, and it would be unusual for a non-staff member without credentials to be permitted onto the site. Clearance and security ID are typically required to access the base.
Many of the streets surrounding the yard, in the south-east of the city, next to the Anacostia river, were locked down. Helicopters hovered above the scene, and there was a huge police presence near the yard. Across the river, flights from Reagan national airport were suspended for a time.
A White House official told a pool reporter that Barack Obama was briefed several times about the "unfolding situation at the Washington navy yard".
Pentagon press secretary George Little said: "Everyone here at the Department of Defense is saddened by the incident at the Washington navy yard this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims.
"While the Pentagon remains open, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency increased its security posture, not out of a specific threat, but as a proactive, precautionary measure," he added.
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