Federal law enforcement officials say the man accused in a shooting rampage at the Washington Navy Yard that left at least 12 people dead has been identified as Aaron Alexis.
Read more here: http://www.theolympian.com/2013/09/16/2725797/police-responding-to-reported.html#storylink=cpy
A police officer stands by a locked gate at the Washington Navy Yard, closed except to essential personnel, in Washington, on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, the day after a gunman launched an attack inside the Washington Navy Yard on Monday, spraying gunfire on office workers in the cafeteria and in the hallways at the heavily secured military installation in the heart of the nation's capital. The gate at right is open to allow ID checks of essential personnel.
Mientras que el motivo del ataque es la gran incógnita, poco a poco se sabe que el hombre que irrumpió en un edificio de un complejo de la Marina de EEUU en Washington y mató al menos a 12 personas antes de ser abatido, Aaron Alexis, un afroamericano de 34 años y ex militar de la Marina, oriundo de Nueva York, tenía antecedentes por al menos un incidente que involucró armas.
Aaron Alexis era un veterano de la Marina, donde estuvo alistado entre 2007 y 2011, se graduó como oficial de electrónica de la aviación de tercera clase. Fue condecorado con la medalla del Servicio de Defensa Nacional y la Medalla al Servicio en la Guerra Global contra el Terrorismo, de acuerdo con la información oficial.
Alexis se desempeñaba tras su salida del ejército bien como contratista militar o empleado civil de la Marina, desde esa posición podría haber ingresado en el recinto militar donde perpetró el ataque.
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Matanza en una base naval de Washington dejó 13 muertos
El número de víctimas mortales del tiroteo en las instalaciones de la Marina estadounidense en Washington, DC, asciende a 13, incluido el autor, según un balance provisional ofrecido por el alcalde de la ciudad, Vincent Gray.
La Policía cree que un solo hombre era responsable del incidente. "No tenemos ninguna prueba o indicio a esta altura de que hubiera un segundo tirador, pese a que aún no descartamos eso completamente", dijo Gray.
Se desconoce el móvil del ataque, aunque el alcalde del Distrito de Columbia, Vincent Gray, dijo que no hay motivos para creer que se trató de un acto terrorista.
Uno de los autores del tiroteo murió, informó la jefa de la Policía Metropolitana, Cathy Lanier, en una conferencia de prensa. Otros dos "atacantes potenciales" se dieron a la fuga, agregó sin confirmar cuántas personas murieron en total.
En tanto, que Gray dijo que el atacante entró en uno de los edificios en la sede naval, donde trabajan unas 3.000 personas, "y empezó a disparar".
"Tenemos informes de personas que murieron en el lugar, y de que hay más heridos", señaló en conferencia de prensa la portavoz de MedStar Hospital Center, quien no pudo confirmar el número total de víctimas del suceso.
La portavoz dijo que, de acuerdo con lo comunicado por los heridos, en el ataque se usaron armas automáticas.
El tiroteo causó una alerta en todo el Distrito de Columbia y se intensificó la vigilancia en el Departamento de Transporte, que tiene oficinas junto a la sede naval, y en torno al Congreso, a unos seis kilómetros del sitio.
Además motivó la suspensión temporal de los despegues desde el aeropuerto Reagan National, que está al otro lado de los ríos Anacostia y Potomac.
El presidente de EEUU, Barack Obama, instó a los ciudadanos a seguir las "instrucciones de los equipos de emergencia en el lugar de los hechos", indicó la Casa Blanca en un breve comunicado.
"El presidente ha sido informado en varias ocasiones sobre la situación en marcha en el edificio de la Armada en Washington por la asistente presidencial para Seguridad Nacional y Contraterrorismo, Lisa Monaco, y la jefa de gabinete adjunta, Alyssa Mastromonaco", agregó la nota.
Asimismo, Obama ordenó a su equipo a "mantenerse en contacto con los equipos federales, incluida la Armada y el FBI, así como a los funcionarios locales".
Los disparos se produjeron en el Cuartel General del Mando de Sistemas Navales en el Washington Navy Yard, según informó la Marina. Allí trabajan unas tres mil personas.
El Mando de Sistemas Navales (NAVSEA) es el mayor de los cinco que integran la Marina estadounidense y tiene un presupuesto anual de unos 30.000 millones de dólares.
Según el diario Washington Post, la policía cerró varias calles próximas al recinto de la Marina, un puente y una de las entradas a la estación de metro Navy Yard. Además, se reforzó la seguridad en el edificio del Capitolio como medida de precaución.
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Read more here: http://www.theolympian.com/2013/09/16/2727070/13-killed-in-washington-navy-yard.html#storylink=cpy
Revelan que autor de la matanza de Washington fue rescatista del 11-S
Aaron Alexis, el presunto autor de la masacre cometida en la Navy Yard de Washington, que causó 13 muertos, era un veterano de la Marina, tenía 34 años y había recibido dos medallas al mérito. Además, en las últimas horas se conoció que había participado en las tareas de rescate tras los atentados a las Torres Gemelas de Nueva York, el 11 de septiembre de 2001.
Su padre dijo, tras ese episodio, su hijo tenía problemas para contener su rabia que creía estaba asociado a un "desorden de estrés post-traumático".
Había ejercido como electricista de la Marina hasta enero de 2011, cuando supuestamente fue expulsado por problemas de conducta. Desde entonces trabajaba como informático en una subcontratista de Hewlett-Packard que sirve a la Marina.
Quienes lo conocieron en los últimos años lo describieron como un tipo "inteligente" y un "buen muchacho" aunque también "muy agresivo", reportó el diario The Washington Post.
Alexis había tenido dos encontronazos con la justicia. En el primer episodio, en 2004, Alexis había sido arrestado en Seattle tras haber disparado tres veces a las ruedas de un automóvil Honda Accord que unos obreros de la construcción habían aparcado cerca de su casa.
El segundo episodio se produjo en 2010 en Fort Worth, Texas. Alexis disparó dentro de su casa, apuntando el arma hacia el techo, hiriendo a una vecina que vivía en el piso superior.
Alexis se defendió de la imputación, con el argumento de que estaba limpiando el arma reglamentaria y se le escapó un tiro.
El hombre, que fue abatido hoy por las fuerzas de seguridad que sofocaron el tiroteo en la base naval de Washington, habían nacido en el barrio neoyorquino de Brooklyn, donde había sido criado por sus padres, Cathleen y Anthony Alexis.
Sin embargo, durante años vivió en Fort Worth, Texas, cerca de Dallas, donde estuvo asignado a una unidad militar.
Según The Washington Post, Alexis había recibido las medallas "Global War on Terrorism Service" y la "National Defense Service" al mérito.
Alexis se convirtió en un reservista a tiempo completo y entre 2007 y 2011 estuvo asignado a la unidad de apoyo logístico de la Naval Air Station de Fort Worth.
Nutpisit Suthamtewakul, propietario de un restaurante tailandés, sostuvo hoy a la prensa que Alexis era su "mejor amigo" y lo definió como "una persona amable", que solía trabajar como camarero en su restaurante.
"El vivió conmigo tres años. Tenía una pistola, pero no creo que fuese estúpido. Nunca ha sido agresivo conmigo", señaló su amigo tailandés.
Suthamtewakul aseguró que Alexis tiene un permiso para portar armas, era una persona "pacífica", hablaba aceptablemente el tailandés y en el tiempo libre frecuentaba un templo budista.
Investigadores policiales informaron que están centrando su atención en averiguar las motivaciones que lo llevaron a cometer la masacre.
El alcalde de Washington, Vincent Gray, dijo que hasta el momento no fue hallada ninguna prueba de que Alexis haya tenido un cómplice. "No tenemos indicaciones de que haya habido un segundo atacante, aunque no lo excluimos del todo", dijo.
La jefa de policía Cathy Lanier dijo que "ahora estamos seguros de que hubo una sola y única persona responsable".
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Washington Navy Yard shootings: 12 innocents and shooter dead after violent rampage in D.C.; 8 of AR-15-wielding gunman Aaron Alexis' dead victims identified
The details of how gunman Aaron Alexis gained access to the Navy Yard remain unclear. The ID of retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Rollie Chance was found near Alexis’ body after police shot him, but he was also due to be issued his own ID to work on base.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2013,Newtown came to Washington M
onday when a gun-loving ex-Navy reservist from Queens unleashed a bloodbath at the heavily fortified Washington Navy Yard less than 2 miles from the Capitol.
LIVE BLOG: UP-TO-THE-MINUTE UPDATES FROM WASHINGTON NAVY YARD SHOOTING
Aaron Alexis, who police said killed 12 people and wounded 14 others at the base, wielded the same weapon that Adam Lanza used to slaughter 20 first-graders and six staffers at a Connecticut elementary school — an AR-15 assault rifle.
The 34-year-old maniac also was armed with a shotgun and a semiautomatic pistol when police ended his rampage by shooting him dead.
The FBI said Alexis had a valid ID to enter the building because of his work as a contractor. But it was unclear whether he carried the guns with him on Monday and if so, how many.
“It’s hard to carry that many guns, so there is some thinking that he may have taken some of them from security or whoever else he shot,” said the FBI’s Valerie Parlave.
Investigators searched the sprawling complex all day for a possible accomplice while many parts of Capitol Hill were on lockdown. But Monday night, Washington Mayor Vincent Gray said there was no evidence another shooter was involved.
FBI agents converged on Alexis’ family’s home in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, questioning them about his motives. In Laurelton, Queens, where the shooter’s parents have roots, a weeping relative answered the door at her home and told the Daily News, “I feel like I’m going to vomit. My heart goes out to the people who were injured.”
The mayhem erupted around 8:15 a.m. at the supposedly high-security command headquarters where about 3,000 people work, most of them civilians, police said.
PHOTOS: SHOOTING AT WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
Alexis, who had recently gotten a job as a techie for a subcontractor working on the Navy’s computer network, was wearing dark blue clothing. Once inside the base’s Building 197, he began stalking hallways, firing on people apparently at random. At one point, he stood on a fourth-floor landing, picking off victims below as they ate breakfast in an atrium.
Navy Yard worker Patricia Ward said she heard what sounded like the “pop, pop, pop” of a machine gun.
“Everybody just panicked at first,” she said. “It was just people running, running, running.”
The horror ended when cops shot Alexis to death during a gun battle.
The Washington Post, citing officials, identified eight of the slain: Michael Arnold, 59, of Lorton, Va.; Sylvia Frasier, 53; Kathy Gaarde, 62; John Roger Johnson, 73; Frank Kohler, 50; Bernard Proctor, 46; Vishnu Pandit, 61, and Arthur Daniels, 51. Their hometowns were not given, but The News reached a relative of Arnold’s. For the grim-faced survivors, Alexis’ attack was proof that no place is safe — not even a high-security naval base near the heart of Washington.
“I’m a religious man, so I was praying,” said Navy Capt. Mark Van Vandroff, who said he was convening a meeting when he heard a loud noise and then “someone in the hallway yelling about shooting, a gunman.”
“We heard a loud burst of gunfire very near the conference room,” he said. “We looked up and saw bullet holes in the top of the conference room wall.”
Navy Cmdr. Tim Jirus said he escaped to an alley and had just exchanged a few words with a co-worker when he heard two shots. When he turned around, the man with whom he had been speaking lay on the ground, shot in the head. “I was just lucky,” Jirus said. “The other person was shorter than me.”
Jirus said he was stunned by the “randomness” of who lived and who died. “It makes me like life a lot today,” he said. “I’m going to hug my kids the next time I see them.”
RELATED: RELATIVES MOURN WASHINGTON NAVY YARD SHOOTING VICTIMS
The ID of retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Rollie Chance was found near Alexis’ body in Building 197. FBI agents later questioned Chance at his Virginia home.
Alexis worked for The Experts Inc., part of Hewlett-Packard Co., and the Navy subcontractor’s CEO, Thomas Hoshko, told Reuters that the gunman had a “secret clearance” and was scheduled, starting this month, to work out of the Navy Yard with a military-issued ID card. Hoshko said it was “not clear” if Alexis’ assignment was to start Monday.
The massacre sent shock waves throughout Washington, where huge swaths of the city remained locked down hours after the killings. When a fool tossed firecrackers at the White House, he was pounced on by Secret Service agents.
So far, there is nothing to suggest that Alexis — a Navy petty officer third class who was in the reserves from 2007 to 2011 and was reportedly a practicing Buddhist — had terrorist ties.
“We have no known motive at this stage,” said Mayor Gray.
Alexis’ brother-in-law, Anthony Little, was equally baffled. He said he never met Alexis, and added that the madman hadn’t been home in years. “Even when I met my wife and married my wife, we never had contact,” he said. “What I know from him, he’s not really close like the normal person is with their families.”
Alexis — who attended Hillcrest High School in Queens and whose last address was in Fort Worth, Tex. — has gotten in trouble before for firing his guns.
He was arrested in Seattle in 2004 after he shot out the tires of another person’s car — an episode he would describe as a “blackout” driven by rage. He was also busted in Fort Worth in 2010 after he was accused of firing off a round from his weapon. The Navy discharged him in 2011 for “misconduct” issues, an official told The Washington Post.
A gutsy Washington, D.C., canine cop was among those wounded at the besieged Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters building. He was hit twice in the legs while trading shots with a gunman. The officer, whose name was not released, underwent what’s likely to be the first of many operations at Washington Hospital Center to save his legs. He was lucid enough to ask for his mother before he went under the knife, said Janis Orlowski, the chief medical officer.
RELATED: WASHINGTON GUNMAN FROM NYC, CALLED 'SWEET,' 'PEACEFUL'
They also treated a woman who had been shot in the shoulder and a woman who had been grazed in the head, said Orlowski.
The wounded women were civilian workers at the base in southeast Washington and were also expected to recover.
Meanwhile, everybody from SWAT teams to the Marines were on the scene of the FBI-led scene investigation and overhead a half-dozen military choppers continued to circle over the base.
President Obama ordered flags flown at half-staff and lamented that, once again, “We are confronted with yet another mass shooting, and today it happened on a military installation in the nation’s capital.”
“These are men and women who were going to work,” said Obama, who called them “patriots” well-aware of the risks they face serving abroad.
“Today they faced the unimaginable violence that they wouldn’t have expected at home,” he said. Obama praised the doctors who “responded with skill and bravery” and vowed that this “cowardly act” would not go unpunished.
“We stand with the families of those who have been harmed,” he said. “The courageous Americans who died today.”
Obama, whose attempts to push through stricter gun control have been repeatedly stymied by resistance from Republicans and the National Rifle Association, has been monitoring the situation almost from the start.
“The President directed his team to stay in touch with our federal partners, including the Navy and FBI, as well as the local officials,” a White House official said. “We urge citizens to listen to the authorities and follow directions from the first responders on site.”
RELATED: AR-15 IS RIFLE FOR 'SPORT' OF HUNTING HUMANS
A Justice Department spokesman said Attorney General Holder and FBI Director James Comey have also dispatched personnel to the scene. And the Senate postponed scheduled votes until Tuesday.
The Navy suffered “a stunning and horrific blow,” said Navy secretary Ray Mabus, after visiting some of the wounded.
In New York City, police were deployed to protect military recruiting stations although no threats were reported.
“There are just too many guns out there,” Mayor Bloomberg said. “It happens again and again and again. No other developed country has this kind of gun carnage.”
Sirens immediately began wailing as officials sounded the alarm and the entire 65-acre complex along the Anacostia River went into crisis mode.
“Where is he? Where is he?” panicked workers cried out and as they fled the building.
Other witnesses described being chased by a gunman down a third-floor hallway.
“He was a tall black guy,” said Todd Brundage, who is also black. “He didn’t say a word.”
RELATED: MASS SHOOTINGS ARE CENTRAL TO AMERICAN HISTORY
“There are several fatalities and likely several wounded,” including Navy security personnel,” Admiral John Kirby, the chief Navy spokesman, said.
By noon, escapees from the carnage began trickling out of the facility telling tales of terror and crying tears of relief.
“He’s safe,” a weeping woman cried out when she saw her husband. “He’s safe.”
Among those waiting to hear from loved ones was Washington Redskins wide receiver Joshua Morgan, whose mother works in the Navy Yard. He texted her at least three dozen times before she finally was able to answer.“We went through this before on 9/11, she worked at the Pentagon,” Morgan said at the team’s training center.
David Stevens, a Navy contractor, said the building is supposed to be super secure. All employees have to show their ID before they are allowed inside and visitors have to get a security clearance to get in.
“It’s unbelievable that someone could get a rifle in there, if that’s what the shooter had,” he said.
Police shut down the 11th Street bridge to cut off a possible escape route and placed eight nearby schools on lock down.
Also, the Washington Nationals postponed their home game with the Atlanta Braves.
But flights in and out of nearby Reagan National Airport resumed at 10:30 a.m.
The Navy Yard is the oldest military installation in the country and is also headquarters for the Naval Historical Center and numerous naval commands.
With Rocco Parascandola, Tina Moore, Michael Sheridan and News Wire Services
csiemaszko@nydailynews.com
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