At least 12 fatalities incl gunman in DC Navy Yard shooting, 1 more shooter may be at large
September 16, 2013 20:01
One of the two shooters, who went on a rampage at the Washington Navy Yard in Southeast DC, may be still at large, police said, adding that one gunman has been killed. At least 11 other people have died in the attack.
The police were initially looking for two other potential shooters, whom they failed to locate.They were described as a white male between 40 and 50 years in a tan outfit and an African-American man of the same age in green “military style uniform,” reportedly armed with a long gun
The DC police then wrote on its Twitter that a white male has been identified and he was “not a suspect or person of interest”.
At least, 12 people have died in the attack. Some people were also injured, including several police officers, but only one of them being wounded by gunfire, DC Police Chief, Cathy Lanier, said during a briefing.
As the manhunt goes on, people are advised “to say in their homes and avoid the area around the Navy Yard,” she added.
Thousands of workers remain locked up in the Navy Yard building as they were told to "shelter in place" until officials could safely evacuate them from the facility.
"This is not over. The building is still in lockdown, as are other buildings. Still being treated as an active search. No one is moving right now," Rear Admiral John Kirby, the US Navy's chief spokesman, told reporters.
The investigators haven’t identified a motive behind the attack, DC Mayor Vincent Gray said, adding that there was no indication it was an act of terror.
“The big concern for us right now is that we have potentially two other shooters that we have not located at this point,” DC Police Chief, Cathy Lanier, said.
The suspected gunman, whom the police killed, has been identified as Aaron Alexis, 34, of Texas, Fox News reports.
A spokeswoman for the MedStar Washington Hospital Center said that it had received three gunshot victims from the Navy Yard.
A male police officer and two civilian women are in critical conditions, but have “very good” chances for survival. The victims said that shots from semi-automatic guns were fired at them, she added.
“I’m deeply shocked and saddened by the shooting this morning at the Navy Yard. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” Ray Mabus, US Navy Secretary, said in a statement.
The shooting happened inside the Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters (NAVSEA) building. It’s the largest of the Navy's five system commands.
It engineers, builds, buys and maintains ships, submarines and combat systems that meet the fleet's current and future operational requirements. The navy says about 3,000 people work in the building.
It engineers, builds, buys and maintains ships, submarines and combat systems that meet the fleet's current and future operational requirements. The navy says about 3,000 people work in the building.
Some witnesses said a gunman opened fire from the fourth floor, aiming down on people in the first-floor cafeteria. The others said a shooter fired at them in a third-floor hallway. It’s not clear if the witnesses on different floors were describing the same suspect.
After going on the rampage, one of the gunmen reportedly barricaded themselves in one of the rooms where he was cornered by the police.
After going on the rampage, one of the gunmen reportedly barricaded themselves in one of the rooms where he was cornered by the police.
Hundreds of police officers and FBI agents were involved in trying to get control of the situation. Fire and emergency crews also responded to the scene. A “shelter in place” order has been issued for Navy Yard personnel.
The area around the Navy Yard was cordoned off, schools were on lockdown and planes at nearby Reagan National Airport were briefly grounded so they wouldn’t interfere with law enforcement helicopters.
The area around the Navy Yard was cordoned off, schools were on lockdown and planes at nearby Reagan National Airport were briefly grounded so they wouldn’t interfere with law enforcement helicopters.
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