News Blog: Deadly Rampage at US Navy Yard | Voice of America - English
Washington, DC police say 13 people are dead in an attack at the Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters, where 3,000 people work. Suspected shooter Aaron Alexis is among those killed.
Press conference with DC Mayor Vincent Gray, DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier and Valerie Parlave, FBI Assistant Director of the Washington Field Office: : We have exhausted all means available to eliminate that possible last suspect [who was previously believed to be at large]. We are comfortable to lift shelter-in-place in the area. We feel we have single and sole person responsible for shooting. Witness interviews and some camera views suggested there was potential that another shooter was involved. We believed best action to take was to make sure community was safe, first. We have spent last several hours trying to go through everything possible until we were 100 percent comfortable we cleared that information. : Suspected shooter Aaron Alexis had legitimate access to Navy Yard as a result of his work as a contractor. He utilized a valid pass to gain entry to the Navy Yard. FBI expected to spend another 48 hours at the Navy Yard. Most people alive have been cleared from the scene. : Eight people incurred injuries. Of the eight, three were shot, including a Metropolitan police officer. Two other civilians suffered minor injuries. The other five injuries range from stress reactions, like chest pain, to contusions from falling. There's no reason to think they won't be fine. We anticipate traffic patterns will be back to normal on Tuesday morning, and bridges will be open. We've been in close contact with White House. The president has reached out through his staff to connect with us as this process unfolded throughout the day. Vice Admiral William French confirms 27 Navy Yard casualties: 13 dead, including shooter, and 14 injured. All 12 victims killed were civilians. French says approximately 2,000 employees remain on site at naval installation, awaiting FBI interviews. Evacuation will take a few hours. Police arrest a man outside the White House after he over a fence at the presidential compound. Officials have not stated a motive or drawn a connection to the Navy Yard shooting, but the incident put an already tense Washington on even further edge after Monday's deadly rampage. Press conference with DC Mayor Vincent Gray, DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier, FBI Assistant Director of the Washington Field Office Valerie Parlave, and DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton: : We're still seeking the identity of the person identified as having a drab olive-colored uniform, a man about 50 years old. I want to extend on behalf of the entire city our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were killed in this horrific tragedy. President Obama orders United States flags to be flown at half-staff until sundown Friday to honor the victims of the Navy Yard shooting: ? U.S. Secretary of Navy, Ray Mabus, is with survivors and their families at the Washington Nationals baseball stadium, the designated reunion point. Mabus has assigned a "designee" status to all Navy Yard victims, permitting them to get care at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, if needed. Navy officials say the dead gunman was a U.S. Navy veteran and a native of New York. Aaron Alexis served in the Navy from May 2007 to January 2011, according to , quoting Rear Admiral John Kirby. ? Alexis spoke Thai, worked as a waiter at a Thai restaurant and worshiped at a Buddhist temple in Fort Worth, Texas, according to . FBI confirms identity of deceased shooter as 34-year-old Aaron Alexis of Fort Worth, Texas. FBI poster of Alexis is available . DC Mayor Vincent Gray, Police Chief Cathy Lanier and Valerie Parlave, FBI assistant director of Washington Field Office, address press. Shooting is the "worst tragedy [in the city's] recent history." ? One suspect is dead, a second suspect has been ruled out, a third suspect is still believed to be at large. There are no reasons at this point to suspect terrorism. This evening's Washington Nationals baseball game, blocks from shooting, postponed until Tuesday afternoon. This is one of the worst things we've seen. Officers moving through the building found multiple victims, with gunfire still going on. There is no question suspect would have kept shooting [if he was not engaged by police]. Suspect did not take his life. He was killed by police. Residents and businesses in the Navy Yard area are being asked to shelter in place. Next update expected at 6 pm, with final press conference of the day at 10 pm. Janis Orlowski, chief medical officer, Washington Hospital Center, speaks to press: Of the three victims from the Navy Yard shooting being treated at the hospital, the first individual is a Metropolitan police officer, who is in surgery. He has been in surgery for several hours. Expected to make good recovery. Second individual is in good spirits, ordering doctors and nurses around, and they jokingly told her they were in charge. She is in surgery and is expected to have full recovery. Third individual is not in surgery. She is a "very lucky lady." She suffered a significant wound to her head but it did not puncture her skull. She will recover without surgery. She's in very good spirits. Ray Mabus, U.S. Secretary of the Navy thanks first responders. Relatives can call 202.433.6151 or 202.433.9713 for information about family members. Law enforcement officials expected to address press around 4 pm. DC public schools starting to release students from lockdown: No recess due to lockdown but lots of smiles as parents & children reunite at DC's Tyler Elementary. Washington Hospital Center press conference expected momentarily. Suspect killed is identified as Aaron Alexis, 34, according to multiple news outlets citing federal law enforcement officials. U.S. Senate building closed until at least 5 pm while police search for second suspect, on orders of Senate Sergeant at Arms Timothy Gainer. DC police rule out one of two suspects believed to be at large: The white male in the tan outfit has been identified and is not a suspect or person of interest. Authorities are scrambling to determine the identity of the shooter killed at the scene. Incomplete reports and rumors are emerging, but nothing has been confirmed. We are tracking this. Shooting appears over, but people still missing: Senate recesses for day because of shooting: I’ve spoken with the Sergeant at Arms, and in light of the events at the Navy Yard, we will recess the Senate until tomorrow morning. DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier and Mayor Vincent Gray hold second press conference of day: : Shelter in place order remains at Washington Navy Yard. More info to follow as confirmed. Update Final -  - most  units returning as incident is scaled back & moves towards termination currently still on lockdown with ~400 people in the cafeteria. They’ve begun interviews with people from NAVSEA Authorities are searching for two other suspected shooters. Suspects are believed to be wearing military-style uniforms but Chief Lanier says there is no reason to believe they are military personnel. : Still very preliminary. Still a lot of work to be done. Will be doing another briefing in next two hours. ?Initial call for shooting came in shortly after 8:15 am. Units on the scene within 7 minutes of first call coming in. Multiple shooter teams from Park Police, U.S. Marshalls, FBI and DC police. One MPD officer shot in engagement with the shooter. One shooter believed involved with this is deceased. Other casualties. Multiple victims inside that are deceased. Will update once numbers are confirmed. Potentially have two other shooters that we have not located. Not confirmed, but one shooter is a white male last seen around 8:35 am in a khaki, tan military uniform, short-sleeve with a beret hat, appeared like a Navy uniform. Last seen with a handgun. Looking for another black male, approximately 50 years of age, who may have been in posession of long gun. Wearing olive drab, possible military-style uniform. No reason to believe the suspects are military personnel but we do believe they are wearing military-style uniforms. Tips can be called in to 202.727.9099. : A shooter entered building 197, which is a naval sea command and began shooting. Police department active shooter team responded immediately, launched search for shooter and engaged at least one person along the way. We know four wounded, removed from scene. Still trying to confirm number of fatalities involved. Will do that later. As far as we know, this is an isolated incident. We don't know of any other instillations involved. We ask all residents to stay out of area. This is an active investigation. Because this involves the military and the federal government, we are actively and directly in contact with the White House. One gunman is dead, according to CNN, NBC, and the Associated Press. More information is expected momentarily, as DC police chief addresses press. U.S. Navy say emergency personnel remain on the scene and shelter in place order is still in place. NCIS, FBI and DC police are on the scene. Police spokeswoman says there was shooting at Bolling Air Force Base, as reported by some new outlets. She says DC mayor and police chief expected to address the press in about 20 minutes. U.S. Navy sets up emergency information phone lines: Family members looking for information about their loved ones can call 202-433-6151 or 202-433-9713. Press conference with Janis Orlowski, chief medical officer, Washington Hospital Center: Hospital received three gunshot victims, all in critical condition. Patients include one male DC police officer and two female civilians. One patient is in operating room. Another going into operating room shortly. One male patient has multiple gunshot wounds to legs. Another female shot in shoulder. Third patient, female, has gunshot wounds to head and hand. Hospital in discussion with individuals at scene. Not sure yet how many will be coming to hospital. Victims not able to give any information about what happened to them. They're in pain and distressed. We understand there are individuals at the scene who will not be transported because they are deceased. Orlowski says "let's pray for individuals at the Navy Yard" and promises to return with more updates. Secretary of Navy Ray Mabus: I have complete confidence in our first responders, and I continue to be completely focused on this very difficult situation. — SECNAV Ray Mabus (@SECNAV) Neighborhood watch: Police update casualties, saying 12 people shot, at least four killed. Of the wounded, six are civilians, two are police offficers. Pentagon so far confirming only one dead. Police say family members separated by crisis may reunite at National Stadium Parking Lot B. DC police expected to address press in next 15 minutes. Police lockdown six D.C. public schools and one administrative building as a precaution. Authorities are urging people in the area to stay inside. Interactive map showing Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters, where 3,000 people work: Authorities lift ground stop at Reagan National Airport. Witness report: Tons of sirens and sounds of helicopters overhead here in this morning. Surreal and horrifying that its 5 blocks from my apt Nearly two hours after first reports of shooting emerged, the area is still on lockdown Still very active scene outside : 4 killed and 8 injured. One shooter down : confirms several injuries with reports of fatalities at . More to follow. A person with a gun was reported inside the Naval Sea Systems Command